RIPE 40 Dinner Venue
The RIPE 40 Dinner took place at Troja Chateau.
The RIPE 40 dinner attendees were invited to enjoy an evening at Troja
Chateau.
Buses transported everyone from the Meeting venue to the dinner.
Entrance to the Troja Chateau is from the Baroque-style
latticed gate in Stromovka Park. Once inside the grounds you will
have the breathtaking panoramic view of Troja in all its majesty: its terra-cotta and white facade set against a clear sky that rolls up
to meet Troja's miniature yellow chapel perched on top of the former
vineyards and surrounding countryside.
Troja Chateau, Prague's only genuine chateau, was designed by
Jean-Baptiste Mathey in the late 17th century as a summer palace for
Count Sternberg, a member of a leading Bohemian aristocratic
family. With a view of Prague Castle, the Chateau is nestled on the
fringe of Prague Valley in what was then Stromovka royal game
preserve, now Stromovka Park. This area was in the past almost totally
covered in vineyards.
A welcome drink was held in The Grand Hall. This is simply a huge
work of art, there is not an inch of unpainted wall space. The interior
design of the Hall was created entirely as a tribute to the Hapsburg
Dynasty. The huge arched ceiling with its colorful frescoes visually tells
the tales of the Triumph of Emperor Leopold I and the struggle of Western
Christendom among others. The top portion of the Hall has been painted to
resemble a balcony where characters in murals portray various chapters of
Hapsburg legend. The lower parts of the walls have outdoor scenes painted
on including reproductions of the decorative urns complete with shadows of
afternoon sun
Construction on the residence began in 1679 but was thwarted by a series of
setbacks including its remote location which made it difficult to deliver
building materials and a wave of plague epidemics which decimated its work
force. Consequently it took 30 years to fully complete the Chateau with its
interior and adjacent gardens only being finished after Count Sternberg's
death in 1708. A recent renovation to the Chateau (1977-1989) restored
marble floors, metal and iron work and pictorial and stucco artwork to
their original appearance.
Against the backdrop of the newly renovated Chateau, the 17th century
staircase revels in its age in the way precious antiques exude more beauty
with time. The staircase is actually two-winged with a cascade of statues
on each side that portray Olympian deities in their triumph over the
rebellious race of the Titans. Staring up at their blackened sword-wielding
figures, one could imagine these characters playing out their various roles
in the legendary event. The mythological giants, the two Sons of Mother
Earth, adorn the chateau's monumental balustrades as if supporting the
entrance landing. In the hollow space where the two sets of stairs wind
away from each other, two other rebellious giants who have been condemned
to suffer eternal drudgery as gargoyles, writhe in misery in the depths of
the fountain.
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