Prague Castle is a complex of palaces and temples, one of the symbols of old Bohemia, telling about the important events of the country. It is included in the list of UNESCO cultural heritage sites and in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest castle in the world and the largest presidential residence. Prague Castle is the main symbol of the Czech capital and is located in the Hradcany district. It occupies more than seven hectares and is divided into three courtyards, each of which is a separate architectural complex. Leaving Prague without visiting this most important landmark is an unforgivable "crime".
The history of Prague Castle (Pražský hrad) dates back to the 9th century, when the first Christian church was built on the left bank of the Vltava River by order of Bořiva I, the first historical prince of the Czechs. Around the same time, Vyšehrad was built on the other bank of the river, and later Staré Město, Nové Město, Mala Strana and Hradčany emerged - today four separate districts of Prague.
In 920, during the reign of Vratislav I, the foundations of St. George's Cathedral were laid on the eastern side. Already in 929, his son Wenceslas built the Chapel of St. Vitus a little further west. Over the centuries, these churches were expanded and reconstructed. Today, they are the most important landmarks of Prague.
Time passed, rulers changed, culture changed. New palaces, squares and gardens appeared at Prague Castle. The Romanesque style was first replaced by Gothic, then Baroque and finally by the Renaissance. Today, Prague Castle covers an area of 70,000 square meters and is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. There is really something to see here.
The complex can be entered through three entrances, the main one being the Matthias Gate from the Hradcany Square. At the entrance there is a golden arch and Baroque statues, and tourists are greeted by guards in ceremonial uniform. The arch is decorated with symbols of the Czech state and the Austrian Empire, and stone statues depict the defenders of the gate.
If you look closely, you can also notice the inscription above the gate: "1614". It is believed that this is the date of completion of the main gate.
When you enter the Matthias Gate, you will see a small courtyard. In the center is a fountain built by the sculptor Hieronymus Koly in 1686, but since Leopold I ruled the country at the time, it is called Leopold's Fountain, and the letter "L" is carved into the stone bowl. The fountain's sphere is held by three lions, and the large bowl is held by ancient heroes: Mercury, Vulcan, Neptune and Hercules.
Next to the fountain is a well 18th century. Its depth is 14 meters. It is decorated with an openwork lattice in the Renaissance style. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the well had a practical purpose, but now it is inactive.
Behind the well is the northern entrance to Prague Castle. From here, you can get to the royal garden via the Powder Bridge. The gate is guarded by guards.
The Chapel of the Holy Cross is located in a small courtyard. It was built by order of the emperor's wife, Maria Theresa, to give the place more splendor. Currently, the chapel houses an exhibition hall where visitors can see the treasures.
In the center of the main courtyard is a statue of St. George. It was created in 1373 and has been damaged several times over the years. After the last restoration, the statue was moved to the old royal palace, and a bronze copy was erected in its place.
The main attraction of the main (third) courtyard and the whole of Prague is St. Vitus Cathedral. Passing under the arch, the visitor sees the stunning facade of the building.
The cathedral was built over a period of almost 600 years. The first stone was laid by Charles IV in the middle of the 14th century, and construction was completed in 1929.
The cathedral is built in the Gothic style. It is decorated with three portals with bronze sculptures, two 80-meter-high stone towers, and a large 96-meter-high southern tower with a belfry. There are two clock faces on the tower: one shows the hours, the other the minutes.
After visiting the interior of the cathedral, you can go up to the observation deck and admire Prague from a bird's eye view.
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In the third courtyard there is also the Old Royal Palace, which was the main residence of the Czech kings and princes from the middle 12th century to the beginning of the 14th century. It is an outstanding example of late Gothic.
Here you can see the exhibition "History of Prague Castle", as well as visit thematic halls: "History of Education", "History of the Feast", etc.
The third courtyard ends at St. George's Square, where the Cathedral of St. George is located. It is made in the Romanesque style. The building has a unique history: its construction began in 920 and it is the burial place of many Czech rulers.
The white towers of the basilica were built in the 12th century and still look the same as they did then. The red façade of the temple appeared in the 17th century. Previously, the temple was staffed by novices from noble families.
In the picture gallery you can see the oldest Czech collection of paintings. On display are paintings by Dutch, Italian, German and Flemish artists of the 17th century, including Titian, Cranach, Rubens, as well as artists of the Czech school of the 18th-20th centuries.
The foundation of the art gallery was laid by Rudolf II of the Habsburg dynasty in the 16th century. He was known as a connoisseur of art, patron and protector of alchemists.
A colorful street in the center of Prague Castle with small colorful houses built into the arches of the former castle, where in the Middle Ages, together with the Prague guard, lived the royal alchemists, who prepared gold, the philosopher's stone and various elixirs for it. By the way, the famous writer Franz Kafka lived in the house №22 in 1916-1917.
Royal Garden — founded in 1534 by Ferdinand I of the Habsburg dynasty. The garden is the most important historical heritage of the "Castle" complex. Initially, it was built in the Italian style, and now it looks like an English garden of the 19th century. The main entrance is located on the Prašni bridge.
I will list a few more gardens. Gargitovsky Garden:
Garden of Eden:
Garden on the Bastion:
Changing The honor guard is a spectacular event. The ceremonial change takes place every day at 12:00, and the standard one - every hour. Guards stand at the central entrance to Prague Castle, at the entrance to the second courtyard and at the Black Tower.
Now I will present you with a diagram of Prague Castle:
Let me explain the designations: I - Royal Palace, II - History of Prague Castle, III - Basilica of St. George, IV - Treasury, V - Zlata Ulichka, VI - Picture Gallery, VII - Powder Tower, VIII - St. Vitus Cathedral, IX - Rosenberg Palace, X - St. Vitus South Tower, 1 - Royal Garden, 2 - Southern Gardens, 3 - Deer Moat.
Address of Prague Castle:Hrad I. nádvoří č. p 1, Hradčany, 119 08 Prague 1.
Prague Castle opening hours:
- the complex is open from 06:00 to 22:00 (from the main entrance);
- St. Vitus Cathedral - 09:00-17:00 (Monday-Saturday), 12 :00-17:00 (Sunday);
- exhibition "History of Prague Castle" - 10:00-18:00;
- photo gallery - 10:00-18:00;
- gardens - 10:00-18:00 (April-October).
Entrance to Prague Castle is free, but you will need to buy a ticket to visit individual buildings. There are three types of tickets: full , preferential (children 6-16 years old, students up to 26 years old, pensioners over 65 years old) and family (1-2 adults + 1-5 children). It is not necessary to buy a ticket for a child under 6 years old.
There are 3 tours:
- A: Old Royal Palace, Exhibition "History of Prague Castle", St. George's Basilica, Golden Gate, St. Vitus Cathedral, Rosenberg Palace;
- B: Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, Zlata Ulica, St. Vitus Cathedral;
- C: Treasures of St. Vitus Cathedral, Picture Gallery.
Ticket prices (valid for 2 days):
- tour A: full - 350 CZK, discount - 175 CZK, family - 700 CZK;
- tour B: 250/125/500;
- tour C: 350/175/700;
- exhibition "History of Prague Castle": 140/70/280;
- photo gallery of Prague Castle Grada: 100/50/200;
- Powder Tower + "Palace Guard" exhibition: 70/40/140;
- exhibition of treasures of the Cathedral of St. Vitus: 250/125/500;
- South observation tower of the Cathedral of St. Vita: 150 CZK.
To get to Prague Castle, it is better to take tram №22 (to the stop Pražský hrad - option 1), after the excursion, go down the 230-meter ancient staircase of the castle to the metro line A (station Malostranská).
Option 1 (the most direct and simple) - take the tram №22 to the stop Prague Castle, turn left (cross the road) and follow the street U Prašného mostu , cross the Powder Bridge and in fifteen minutes you will find yourself at the fountain of the second courtyard of Prague Castle;
Option 2 (easy walk uphill) - take tram №22 to stop Pohořelec (cross the road), pass < font face="arial">Loretánské náměstí, go down Loretánská street and in 10 minutes you will find yourself at entrance to the first courtyard of Prague Castle;
Option 3 (more difficult, as you have to go uphill, but there is a beautiful view of the roofs of the Lesser Town houses) - by tram №22 to the stop Malostranské náměstí. From here Nerudova Street begins. Go to Zamkova Street, follow it and you will come out on Tunovska Street. Turn left, walk about 50 meters to the new staircase, enjoy the beautiful roofs of the Lesser Town houses and go up to Hradcany Square, to the entrance to Prague Castle;
Option 4 (short climb with a beautiful view) - take the A metro line to the Malostranská stop, walk about 100 meters in the direction of the tram, turn left onto the old staircase of the castle, pass the vineyards of St. Wenceslas to the "Na opiši" gate of Prague Castle. Here, from the observation deck, there is a wonderful view of the Vltava River;
Option 5 (only in summer) - take tram №22 to the stop Královský letohrádek (cross the road). Then from the Queen Anne Summer Palace, pass the Royal Garden and in 15-20 minutes you will find yourself at the Prague Castle Higher Riding School.
Detailed and complete information can be found on the official website of Prague Castle: www.hrad.cz/en/prague-castle-for-visitors.
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