The primary and secondary axes forming the composed landscape of Ji?ín. The axes cross at the summer palace, approximately 2 kilometers from the palace at the town center.
The Baroque period of landscape development in the Czech lands began at Ji?ín in 1621, when Albrecht von Wallenstein (1583 -1634) acquired the property that he developed into a grand, composed landscape. The photo above shows the long axis which extends from the Monastery at Valdice through the palace in the center of the old town of Ji?ín, to the top of Veliš hill with its medieval castle ruins. Thus the primary axis at Ji?ín joins sacred site, through summer palace and grounds, through main palace at the center of the town, to medieval ruins. The secondary axis crosses the composition at the summer palace, joining the formal gardens to the right of the primary axis line, with the sacred site of the chapel of Saint Mary Magdalene at the top of Zebín hill.
View of the primary axis from Veliš east to the monastery at Valdice.
The primary and secondary axes forming the composed landscape of Ji?ín. The axes cross at the summer palace, approximately 2 kilometers from the palace at the town center.
View east along the linden allee from the top of the town tower.
View from the summer palace along the linden allee to the medieval castle ruins at Veliš
The linden allee extends approximately 2 kilometers between the Summer Palace and the edge of the town.
View to the southwest at sunset, through the town of Ji?ín, with Veliš on the horizon.
Zebín hill, with the Chapel of Mary Magdalene at its summit.
The Chapel of Mary Magdalene at the summit of Zebín, forms a highly visible terminus for the secondary axis. It was built in the Baroque form during the 17th century.
The Church of All Saints, located below Zebín dates from the 14th century.
To the north, the secondary axis connects the summer palace to Zebín hill.
The view south from Zebín shows the secondary axis extending through the formal garden.
View to Veliš from the top of the town tower.
The summer palace with its covered loggia.
The garden facade of the summer palace, intentionally plain to emphasize the grandeur of the gardens. The structure was built between 1630 – 1634, and was designed by the architect Niccolo Sebregondi.
View from the loggia of the summer palace along the axis of the formal gardens. The gardens are cut off from the summer palace today by the intrusion of a socialist-era rail line.
View north along the formal garden axis to the loggia of the Summer Palace
The secondary axis seen from the formal garden, looking north to the summer palace. On either side of the axis can be seen the dam edges of the formal pond that marked the extent of the Baroque formal garden.
Although the secondary axis extends through a naturalistic pond area to the top of an adjacent slope (at the southern end of the axis), this was not part of the formal Baroque-era garden plan.
View of St. James Church from the top of the town tower and gate.
View of the town square from the top of the town tower and gate.
Žižkov Square to the east of the Town gate.
View of the town tower and gate from the west. The tower is 52 meters high.
The town square looing toward the palace and Church of St. James to the left.
The arcade formed by the palace as it fronts onto the town square.
The construction of the baroque church funded by Count Wallenstein began in 1627 according to a plan by architect G. Pieroni. However it was never finished and was only consecrated in the year 1701. The neoclassical facade of the church dates from 1867.
Interior of Church of St. James
Wallenstein had a connecting passageway built between the palace and the Church of St. James the Great.
Holy Trinity sculpture with baptismal font.
Unusual baptismal font in the Holy Trinity sculpture.
Top of the Holy Trinity composition.
Designed by architect A. Spezza and consecrated in 1627.
The entrance gate to the monastery is now behind the gates to a prison established on the site 1855-57.
The roofline and upper facade is all that can be seen today of the Church of the Assumption.
