František Maxmilián Kaňka

František Maxmilián Kaňka
František Maxmilián Kaňka
Born	August 9, 1674; Prague, Bohemia, Habsburg monarchy
Died	July 14, 1766 (aged 91); Prague, Bohemia, Habsburg monarchy
Occupation	Architect
Buildings	Krásný Dvůr Castle; Clementinum; St. Procopius Basilica in Třebíč; Karolinum;

František Maxmilián Kaňka (9 August 1674 – 14 July 1766) was a Czech architect. He was born in Prague to mother Katharina and father Vít Václav Kaňka. During František's childhood, his father started practicing as a mason and participated in the construction of the Anenský monastery in Prague's Old Town. František later became an apprentice of Paul Ignaz Bayer, who had designed several buildings for various Catholic religious orders in Prague's Old and New Towns. In the course of his career, Kaňka worked on castles, palaces and churches, and became especially noteworthy for his reconstructions, redesigns and expansions of existing buildings throughout Bohemia. In 1724, he was appointed court architect by the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles VI. Kaňka married Ludmila Marie Rozmillerová in 1702, and after her death in 1736 remarried Katharina Mala von Tulechov from the noble Tulechov family in 1737. He died in Prague in 1766.

Work

He is most famous for reconstructions of palaces and castles of Bohemian nobles and for designs of churches and other religious buildings, principally in the Baroque style. His work includes: