46
fine collection of arms and the beautiful chapel of St. Wenceslaus; Waldstein’s patron saint, and the splendid oratory filled with most valuable paintings. Close to the palace is a fine garden and opening into it, the largest Sala terrena known in Europe, with its splendid loggia, grander even than the famous loggia dei Lanzi in Florence, with frescoes representing scenes from the Trojan war, with the heroes depicted in the costumes of the time of the 30 years’ war. From the loggia there is a splendid view upon the old pleasure-garden surrounded by characteristic buildings of the spacious palace, and in the middle of a large bed of flowers there is a fine bronze-fountain, cast from the metal of Swedish guns. To the right of the loggia in the parterre of the palace there is a grotto of artifical stalactites, formerly a bath-room with many water-douches. From this grotto there is a hidden staircase which leads to the astrological observatory in which Waldstein with his astrologer Seni passed many nights trying to forecast his future. Still more interesting is the room at the left side of the loggia, in which Waldstein used to dine in summer. His table and simple but very comfortable wooden armchairs are to be seen there to this day as well as a Persian carpet, used by him. There is a series of interesting pictures of which the most remarkable portrays the famous warrior with his wife, a former countess of Harrach, countess Trčka. The side wing of the palace towards the Waldstein-street was only finished in 1630. Several years before that date, Adrian de Vries designed a row of fine basins and statues for the gardens, among them the ornaments of a large pond adjoining the former riding hall, which was used for knightly games on horseback. The garden in this part is most lovely. from a broad border of yellow and scarlet flowers rise tree-shaped magnolias hiding the surrounding wall which is covered with green creepers. Perhaps still more interesting, is the southern corner of the garden where behind a aviary, adorned with gigantic stalactites, loom some very black old yew-trees, which have witnessed the former splendour and glory of the ducal court, its brilliant festivals and never ending bustle and life. Only the very old ivy-plants the stems of which have attained an immense thickness, are fellow-witnesses of the powerful warrior’s dazzling
