Josef Plecnik, Prague castle

Prague castle, Prague, Czech Republic

1. The ‘Bull Staircase” (1921-31)

Josef Plecnik, Prague castle. Below description transcribed from the information panel describing the staircase

Jože Plečnik connected the Third Courtyard [next to the Cathedral] on a plain between the Hartig Garden and the ‘At the Ramparts’ Garden with the Bull Staircase; a place where a historical crossing had existed. The original idea of the staircase was to culminate in the garden with a grand portico with five columns from 1926, supposed to symbolize the five historical regions of Czechoslovakia.

This was dropped due to the geological problems in the Rampart Garden, the renovation of which would incur considerable cost, thus the proposal of a more modest solution, an “outside” version of the … found inside the Chamber of Trade, Commerce and Industry in Ljubljana.

At the same time, the concrete structure of the new staircase would abut and strengthen the castle building. The staircase with Minoan columns tapering to their footing offers a breathtaking view of the Prague skyline from the metal balustrade balcony. This view from the stairs is divided by a symmetrically placed traditional ‘Plečnik column’ with an ionic head. The semper metamorphosis is applied with artisan detail as stone and metal imitate that of a wooden structure.

This is especially evident in the entrance canopy where the stonework imitates joinery and crafted the hot fabric. With this method, the architect achieves a fine and effective gradation of scale rom intimate to colossal as they intertwine. The symbolic meaning of the bull refers to Plečnik’s affinity to Minoan culture. The carvings and bull are to work of [artist] Damjan/Damian Pešan (1887-circa.1969)