In 1628 the first Count Pachta received the coat of arms for his family from Emperor Franz Ferdinand. At that time, the family lived close to the Astronomical clock: in 1647, Daniel Pachta di Rajov bought a house on the East side of the actual palace. Five years later, he bought the neighboring house and, in 1683, the part that is today’s west side.

In 1770, another Count Pachta, Jan Nepomuk, started the reconstruction still visible today with rococo motives, beautiful statues, frescoes, and a fountain in the courtyard. Count Pachta hired one of the best architects of his time, Jan Josef Wirch, who also designed The Archbishop’s palace close to Prague Castle, the Jesuit college, the Charles University hospital, and another palace closer to Old Town’s square, where the Pachta family had the right to mint coins. The Palace was built around a courtyard, with the Northern entrance adorned with beautiful sculptures by Ignaz Franz Platzer, the leading representative of Bohemian late-Baroque sculpture, that are still visible today.

Countess Josefine met Mozart at Teplice, a small city famous for its hot springs. Mozart knew about Count Pachta and his love for the arts from another famous musician, Josef Mysliveček: this Czech artist was known as “the divine from Bohemia” and was particularly appreciated in Italy, where he lived and performed for many years. Mysliveček met Mozart in Bologna in 1777. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his wife Constanze were regular guests of Count Pachta. Mozart believed that he had finally found his orchestra in Prague, so he often came here in his later years

Many noble families offered Mozart and his family hospitality during his stay in Prague: the musician was a superstar at the time, and many wealthy patrons competed for his favors. Among the families that hosted Mozart in Prague were also the Pachtas. Count Pachta was a music lover and an admirer of Mozart. For a long time, the Count asked the musician to write a piece for him, and on the evening of 6th February 1787, he found a way. A ball was about to start at the palace, but Mozart was told that he could not attend before composing for the Count. Mozart could not disagree and wrote the six German dances K509 in less than one hour.

Do you know that the world premiere of Don Giovanni was performed at the Estates Theater in Prague? It was 1787 when Mozart himself directed one of his most famous operas in this theater. This is the only theatre left standing where Mozart performed. The protagonist of this opera, Don Giovanni, is probably inspired by Giacomo Casanova, whom Mozart met in Italy and, we like to think, in Prague.We like to think so.

In 1790 Count Pachta married Josefine de Canal, a young and beautiful Countess famous for her love for art and music. She was the center of attention at the soirées organized at the palace: Josefine was educated, rich, and beautiful and soon caught the attention of many of the palace’s regular guests. Among them was Giacomo Casanova, an Italian writer and adventurer who, in 1787, dedicated her a poem: “As beautiful as Venus, as refreshing as the dawn, capable of enchanting thoughts and arousing the admiration of the soul, I present to you a flower that aspires to the honor of decorating your chest, which only there can live happily”.

The original palace garden, which stretched down to Vltava River was heavily altered in 1836 when Count Pachta constructed a luxurious Neoclassical apartment building around a second courtyard. The new palace was known as “Jirasek House.” It was named after the famous and respected Czech neurosurgeon Arnold Jirásek, who lived in the building with his wife. Today this is the front facade of the hotel.

The space that is the restaurant today, in 1848 was a lively Cafe called Slovanska Kavarna, the Slavic Cafe: the Cafe was the meeting point of young revolutionaries and was often the theater of heated confrontations, debates, and even riots.

The story of Pachtuv palace is linked to another incredible character of Czech history, or better, Czechoslovakian history: Vaclav Havel, the first president of the Czech Republic, was a stagehand and then a writer in the theater Na zábradlí. The theater’s Foyer is part of Pachtuv Palace and is today used as a space for receptions and events. Here Havel had his office and wrote some of his early plays in this space.

There is a link between The Mozart and Vaclav Havel: the Ott family, owner of The Mozart, sponsored the last play written by Havel, just like Count Pachta and his wife Josefine sponsored Casanova’s novel Icosameron.

In 2000 Pachtuv Palace was bought by a French investor, Mr. Jean Francois Ott, who reunited the property as one. The first hotel that opened in 2004 was called Pachtuv Palace; in 2015 the property was rebranded as Smetana Hotel.