Review: Billingham Hadley Digital camera bag
Behind a fairly nondescript gate near the Mala Strana metro station is the entrance to Wallenstein Palace gardens
Fountain
This former residence, built 1632-1630, and in the Wallenstein family until 1945, now houses the Czech senate.
Common Moorhen
Upon entering from the metro, you first see a pretty pond with birds floating around. Although I was hopeful of seeing some new-to-me birds here, I saw Mallards & Common Moorhens, both of which we have at home.
Mallard
A little farther down is an unusual wall, constructed to look like stalactites in a cave. This large wall is visible from above, along Prague Castle, and ends in an aviary housing 4 or so large owls(!). I was curious about the history of this oddity, but wasn’t able to dig up any information on the web as to its age or construction.
Grotto wall
An albino peacock strutted around the gardens, but despite our hopes that it would fan out its tail, it stubbornly refused.
Albino Peacock
More cooperative was a properly-pigmented peacock, which put on a great show of flaring its feathers, shaking them, and strutting its stuff. The few nearby peahens looks impressed, as did we humans.
Peacock displaying
Due to the Czech senate’s sitting here, the buildings of Wallenstein Palace are not generally open to the public – too bad, as the wiki page hints at large and lovely murals inside.
Czech senate building
But we will have to make do with a view from the outside.
Although it takes just a few minutes to visit, we found Wallenstein Palace to be a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of Mala Strana.
Prague index:
- Part 1: Vysehrad
- Part 2: Vysehradsky hrbitov (Vysehrad cemetery)
- Part 3: Karluv Most (Charles Bridge)
- Part 4: Vaclavske namesti (Wenceslas Square)
- Part 5: Letecke Muzeum Kbely (Czech Air Force Museum)
- Part 6: Stare Mesto (Old Town)
- Part 7: Staromestske namesti (Old Town Square)
- Part 8: Prazsky orloj (Astronomical Clock)
- Part 9: Josefov (Jewish Quarter)
- Part 10: Vltava River
- Part 11: St. Nicholas Cathedral (Chram sv. Mikulase)
- Part 12: Wallenstein Palace (Valdstejnsky palac) <– You are here
- Part 13: Kampa Island
- Part 14: Mala Strana street art
- Part 15: Petrin Hill
- Part 16: Mala Strana
- Part 17: Mala Strana house signs
- Part 18: Strahovský klášter (Strahov Monastery)
- Part 19: Schwarzenberský palác (Schwarzenberg Palace)
- Part 20: Toy Musuem
- Part 21: St. Vitus Cathedral gargoyles
- Part 22: St. Vitus Cathedral (exterior)
- Part 23: St. Vitus Cathedral (interior)
- Part 24: Prazky Hrad (Prague Castle), I
- Part 25: Prazky Hrad (Prague Castle), II
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Love the peacock photo, brillant colours.
Thanks, and welcome, latteaddict!
Magnificent photo journal of your day! I enjoyed reading your post today. ~karen
Thanks, and welcome, Karen!