The building on Národní třída has been haunted for over 650 years
A bit lost on busy Národní třída in the commercial shopping area of Prague is a building and courtyard called Platýz Palace. It is easy from the street level cafés and shops to overlook that the building is a palace, but it was originally the home of the Duke Friedrich of Burgundy, a member of the court of Emperor Charles IV in the 14th century. The original entrance used to be at Uhelný trh, the former market on the opposite side of the block, and the stone portal can still be seen.
The palace is near the Church of St Martin in the Wall, and close to where the town wall used to be.
The building has passed through many hands, and was rebuilt in many styles so it no longer looks like it originally did. But way back right after it was built it became haunted due to a twisted romantic tale.
His chamberlain took good care of the palace. The chamberlain, who had long been in the service of the Duke, had a large family and the Duke took one of them as a protégé, the eldest son, Jan.
Even before the palace was finished, the Duke began to take Jan with him on his endless travels, dressed up in the height of fashion at the time. Coats of embroidered silk, colored leggings and puffy hats were all the rage. The young man made quite an impression everywhere they went.
During this era, marriages among the upper classes were arranged to create stronger alliances, and not because they were suitable matches.
A young and attractive noblewoman was married off to a very elderly man in what both families considered a beneficial match. Everyone except the bride, who was never asked about it. Both families felt the subject of her marriage had nothing to do with her, and her opinion wasn’t needed.
The couple planned to vanish and change their names to pose as man and wife someplace else where they would go unnoticed.
But the husband of the young woman got wise to his wife’s dalliances, and complained to the Duke about the transgressions of a member of his entourage. The affair put the Duke in a bad light, as he was responsible for the actions of his staff.
The Duke took his honor very seriously, and immediately called for Jan to be arrested for adultery. But Jan was a step ahead. He and his lover fled a bit faster than they had planned and eventually settled in a far corner of Bohemia.
The bride’s elderly husband died shortly after his wife ran away, and the whole affair was all but forgotten.
That is, until Emperor Charles IV announced the coronation of his second wife, Anne of Bavaria, as Queen of Bohemia. It was going to be a lavish event, and Bohemian nobles far and wide were invited.
Jan begged to be left behind, but the Count insisted that he needed an entourage, however small, so as not to look like a beggar. And Jan still had his fancy clothes so he would help to make a good impression for the minor nobleman.
The Duke of Burgundy spotted Jan in the crowd, wearing the very clothes the Duke gave him long ago. The Duke still bore him ill will for his misdeeds.
Jan’s father, the chamberlain, begged for mercy for his son’s life but the Duke felt he could not overlook the grave crimes, as it would make him look weak.
Jan had his head cut off in a public square.
The Chamberlain was friends with one of the executioner’s assistants, and was at least able to get his son’s body back so it wouldn’t be publicly displayed hanging in a cage, as many executed people were at the time. By dead of night, the father secretly transported his son’s corpse back to the Duke’s palace.
The father buried his son in an obscure part of the basement, unknown to the Duke or anyone else.
Platýz now has flats and offices on its upper levels, and a variety of stores from cafés to décor shops to clothing stores on the ground level, with outdoor seating and a modern art statue in the courtyard.
The exact date of the execution is not known, but Queen Anne’s coronation took place at St Vitus’ Cathedral on Sept. 1, 1349, and the execution was likely shortly after that.
Background
Palác Platýz, located at Národní 416/37 in Prague 1, was founded on or about 1347 during the reign of Charles IV on the site of three houses near the Old Town fortification wall. Duke Friedrich of Burgundy (Fridrich Burgundský) was the first occupant.
The building is a registered landmark, notable for becoming the first apartment building in Prague in 1813, but it went through many transformations before that.
From 1405, it was owned by the wealthy Prague malt maker Jan Bradatý ze Stříbra. In 1408, there was a scholarly debate held at the palace about the writings of John Wycliffe, an English philosopher who was a major influence on the Hussite movement, which eventually led to the Hussite Wars.
In 1586, the palace was purchased by Jan Platais (Platejs) z Plattenštejna, an imperial council member and secretary to Emperor Rudolf II. The name Palác Platýz dates from this time.
Renovations were continued by Jan Platais’ son, Jan Arnošt, who later became archbishop of Olomouc. A few details such as a ceiling beam and some murals are preserved inside but not accessible to the general public. Paintings from the 17th century are also inside, and there is a large two-story rectangular hall.
In 1637 the palace was owned by Count Jan ze Šternberka, and under the Šternberk family, Baroque remodeling took place. The passage through the courtyard between Uhelný trh and Národní třída, which still exists, was created.
In 1797, the owner was Jakub Wimmer, who became wealthy as a contractor for the Terezín military fortress. He also had a humanitarian side, and opened up parks in Letná and Vinohrady for public use. He also built the Wimmer Fountain at Uhelný trh.
In 1813, Sir František Daubek bought the palace and rebuilt it into a profitable apartment building in Prague, the first of its kind. The renovations took from 1817 to 1835 before it was complete.
An owl sculpture above the entrance was used to signal whether there were vacancies in the courtyard for carriages, and owl motifs can still be found in the décor.
Remains of the 13th century fortifications are preserved in the cellars, parts of which have survived unscathed through all the various renovations.
An article by Baba Studio with Raymond Johnston. Copyright Baba Studio, all rights reserved. Please contact us if you would like to syndicate or otherwise use this article.
