ORANŽÉRIE

History of Oranžérie

• 1620 – 1783

  Originally a vineyard owned by the Benedictine nuns of Prague Castle, today’s Kajetánka Chateau site underwent a significant transformation. After the White Mountain Battle, Jaroslav Borzita of Martinice took ownership of the large vineyard and gardens. In 1628, Countess Marie Eusebie of Martinice bought a section of these gardens. Her son, Bernard Ignác Martinic, contributed to this legacy by constructing a small monastery in 1666, which he entrusted to the Theatine Order, also known as the Cajetans. Cajetans built the Oranzerie in the north of the estate in 1760. This period saw the establishment of orchards, vineyards, chapels, and the Chapel of the Virgin Mary, which soon became a popular pilgrimage site.

• 1783 – 1830

  The Kajetánka monastery, a center of religious and community life, was closed down in 1783 during the reign of Emperor Joseph II. Subsequently, the property changed hands several times, eventually coming under the ownership of the Kounic family. They transformed the gardens into an English park, introducing a variety of trees that continue to adorn Kajetánka to this very day.

• 1830 – 1938

  In the 1930s, Kajetánka’s character shifted dramatically as it became the site of a wax canvas factory. After a devastating fire, the Oranžérie was converted into flats in 1845. In 1903, local mayor and entrepreneur Jan Kolátor acquired Kajetánka, enriching the park with an orchard and sculptures by Vojtěch Sucharda.

• 1938 – 2014

  Following Jan Kolátor’s death, Kajetánka remained in his family’s possession until the socialist regime nationalized it in 1948. During this time, it served as a youth center and social space for the Communist Party’s Pioneers and the residents of Břevnov. Post-1989’s Velvet Revolution, restitution claims halted the 1960s’ reconstruction efforts, leading to the park and buildings’ deterioration. Only in recent years did Kajetánka begin to be restored to its former glory, culminating in extensive renovations completed in 2011.

• Present

  The Orangerie is currently the headquarters of Keen Software House and GoodAI. Keen Software House is an independent game development studio best known for its best-seller Space Engineers (5 million copies sold). GoodAI is a general AI research company building human-level artificial intelligence. The two companies comprise over 120 researchers, developers, engineers, programmers, artists, and more.