Palais Nostitz

With its Baroque façade, Nostitz Palace defines Maltese Square (Malteserplatz) in Prague's Lesser Town. Construction began in 1662 based on plans by Francesco Caratti, while the Rococo portal wasn't added until 1765. The building originally served the Nostitz family as a repository for valuable coins and paintings, which can now be seen in the National Gallery. The palace still houses its historic library of 15,000 volumes, which is overseen by the National Museum. Following a comprehensive restoration, the listed complex, which includes its own garden, is now home to the Ministry of Culture.