The Embassy’s History

Find out about the Embassy's history, including the establishment of diplomatic relations and some of our former Ambassadors.

Diplomatic relations between Ireland and the Czech Republic

Following independence, Ireland and Czechoslovakia had contacts at various levels, particularly at the League of Nations. Czechoslovakia established a Consulate in Dublin in 1929 and this was upgraded to a Legation in 1947.  However, the Czechoslovak Communist Coup in 1948 interrupted the development of diplomatic relations. A Czechoslovak Trade Mission was established in Dublin in 1965 and this was upgraded to an Embassy in 1995. After the "Velvet Revolution" in 1989, closer relations developed. An Irish Trade Office was established in Prague in 1991. The Irish Embassy in Vienna was responsible for diplomatic relations until 1995 when an Embassy was established in Prague.

History of Wratislaw Palace, Tržiště 13

The Irish Embassy has been located in the Wratislaw Palace, Lesser Town, since 1995. The first written evidence of development at this location originates from 1591, when two town houses were built on the present site. Wratislaw Palace is a combination of those houses bought in 1671 by Franz Christoph Wratislaw von Mittrowitz, who had them rebuilt into the palace and created the beautiful palace garden a few years later. The palace was rebuilt in classicist style in 1824-1834 and received a new facade which still exists today. However, the owners did not use the palace. It was a secondary school (Malostranské gymnázium) between 1861-1876 and underwent extensive reconstruction in the 1990s.

Irish Ambassadors to the Czech Republic