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When someone finds themselves in Prague for the very first time, no doubt, they will be drawn to the Prague Castle. A showpiece of the city, it is perched above the Lesser Town (Mala Strana) in the Castle District and keeps a watchful eye on the activities of the city.
One of the largest castle complexes in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site, it was founded in the 9th century by Prince Bořivoj of the Premyslid Dynasty. Consisting of numerous palaces and ecclesiastical buildings of various architectural styles, the castle is the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic. Once a seat of power for kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia, it is one of the primary tourist attractions of the city.
Up early and heading on the subway towards the Castle, we were excited for all that there was to experience in the complex. On previous visits, I had been on the Castle grounds but had never visited any of the major buildings. Exiting the Malostranska metro station, we decided to make the long steady climb to the castle rather than connect to the tram so that we could experience the beautiful views of the city along the way as well as encounter the Karel Hasler statue and the usual accompanying guitarist.
Once inside the complex, finding where to purchase tickets was a bit perplexing. Entering the Old Royal Palace, I finally discovered a ticket window. Many different attraction combinations are offered and we decided on Option B, the most popular option (according to the ticket seller) which included the Royal Palace and Vladislav Hall, St. Vitus Cathedral, Basilica of St. George and Golden Lane. After our tickets were purchased and we were waiting to enter Vladislav Hall within the palace, I noticed that now familiar sign…the one with the camera and a slash through it. Oh no! Not again! However, after reading a little further, I found that pictures were allowed with a permit that could also be purchased at the ticket window.
Entering Vladislav Hall, we were impressed with the size of the structure as well as the arch-ribbed vaulting of the ceiling, the large Italian Renaissance windows and the five bronze 16th century Renaissance chandeliers. Originally designed to serve as a throne hall, it was the largest hall in medieval Prague and one of the largest halls in Central Europe. Built in the Late Gothic Style with some Early Renaissance features, the exact dates of construction are not clear. Used for banquets, councils, coronations and indoor jousting tournaments, one of the most notable features is the Rider’s Staircase on the northern side which was designed to receive a knight on horseback.
One of the oldest parts of the Prague Castle, the Old Royal Palace dates back to 1135. Moving from Vladislav Hall in the southwestern corner into the former offices of the Bohemian Chancellery, you find the room where Protestant nobles, rebelling against the Bohemian estates and the emperor, threw two of the emperor’s counselors and their secretary out of the window, which sparked the Thirty Years’ War.
At the eastern end of the hall, steps lead up to a balcony that overlooks All Saints’ Chapel. Another doorway, leads to the Assembly Hall, which contains replicas of the Bohemian crown jewels. A spiral staircase leads to the New Land Rolls Room, the repository for land titles, where the walls are covered with the clerks’ coats of arms.
A couple of the most interesting stories about the castle pertain to the procurement of the castle by Nazi Germany in 1939. When President Emil Hacha was forced to hand the Czech nation over to the Germans, Adolf Hitler spent a night in the castle gloating over his new acquisition. During the Nazi occupation in World War II, the castle became the headquarters of Reinhard Heydrich, the “Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia”. Placing the Bohemian crown on his own head, he was doomed according to legend, which states that if a despot places the crown on his head, he is doomed to die within a year. Less than a year after assuming power, he was attacked by British-trained Slovak and Czech soldiers while on his way to the castle and died of his wounds.
The Old Royal Palace was very interesting and filled with history. The old saying, “If the walls could talk”, is definitely true here as many historical events have taken place on the premises.
Moving on from the Old Royal Palace, we decided to backtrack from the Palace towards our original entry point, to Golden Lane, the 15th century, old world street within the complex. Originally known as Goldsmith’s Lane for the many goldsmiths that resided there, it was created when a new outer wall was added to the existing complex.
Once when visiting the castle grounds, I was able to quickly walk through Golden Lane at the end of the day when the grounds were closing, but unable to catch more than a glimpse of the old world buildings. This time, we were able to visit each of the eleven historic houses that contain period scenes that depict the life of the artisans who worked and lived in the structures.
In the upper level of the houses, a medieval armory is showcased with a multitude of suits of armor and weapons. Cannons are also displayed in the courtyard at the entry area of the lane.
After our visit to Golden Lane was complete and we headed back toward the center of the complex, we decided to duck into St. George’s Basilica, while there was no line. The oldest surviving church building within the complex and the second oldest in Prague, the basilica was founded by Vratislaus I of Bohemia in 920. Rebuilt after being destroyed by fire in 1142, the present facade, with its twin white towers than can been seen throughout the city, was added between the years of 1671 and 1691. The basilica holds the tomb of saint Ludmila of Bohemia as well as shrines of Vratislav and Boleslaus II of Bohemia. It also serves as a concert hall.
Our next and final visit was to the imposing Gothic structure of St. Vitus’ Cathedral. To many people, the Prague Castle is St. Vitus Cathedral as it is what dominates the skyline. Known primarily as St. Vitus Cathedral, it is also dedicated to Saints Wenceslas and Adalbert.
The largest and most important church in the country, St. Vitus was founded on November 21, 1344. Taking almost six centuries to complete, it was damaged by a great fire in 1541 and its final phase of construction took place between 1873 and 1929.
The line to enter St. Vitus was extremely long and was hampered by the security measures employed at the entrance. After an hour’s wait, we were finally able enter the cathedral.
As we walked throughout the interior, we stood among the massive pillars supporting the magnificent vaulted ceiling and were impressed by the side chapels and the beautiful stained glass windows, most notably one designed by Mucha, installed in the north nave in 1931. The window, portrays St. Wenceslas, as a boy, with his grandmother, St. Ludmila, surrounded by episodes from the lives of Saints Cyril and Methodius who spread Christianity among the Slavs. The image of Slavia is also included below Christ.
The extraordinary cathedral has overseen the coronation of Czech kings and queens and contains the tombs of many Bohemian kings and Holy Roman Emperors. In the chancel of the cathedral, in front of the high alter, is the royal mausoleum. Below this, the royal crypt accommodates the royal tombs. Czech kings and queens, archbishops and patron saints of the country are interred here, most importantly, St. John of Nepomuk and King Charles IV.
The most exceptional part of the cathedral is St. Wenceslas Chapel, built between 1344 and 1364 and is where the relics of the saint are kept. The lower part of the walls are decorated with over 1300 semi-precious stones and frescoes of the Passion of Christ. The upper walls’ paintings depict the life of St. Wenceslas and a Gothic statue of St. Wenceslas stands in the middle of the wall. The chapel is not open to the public, but it can be viewed from two doorways. It is also here that the priceless Bohemian coronation jewels, the fourth oldest in Europe, are stored behind a small door secured by seven locks. The Czech Crown Jewels are only displayed to the public once every eight years, however, the replicas can be seen in the Old Royal Palace.
Religious services in the Cathedral can be attended daily and confessions are heard twice a week.
After visiting all of the attractions included in our ticket, we were free to wander the grounds of the castle. There are many other parts of the castle to visit, including the gardens, St. George’s convent and the National Gallery, the exhibition “The Story of Prague Castle”, the Powder Tower, the Toy Museum and the picture gallery of Prague Castle. One of the most memorable things to take in is the changing of the guard which takes place hourly on the hour with the midday ceremony including a fanfare & banner exchange.
No visit to the Czech capital is complete without a visit to the Prague Castle. Whether you decide to walk the grounds or purchase a ticket and visit one of the many historical buildings within the grounds, you will not be disappointed with all that there is to offer.
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The Prague Castle
- https://www.hrad.cz/
- Address: Prague Castle, Castle District, Prague 1, Czech Republic
- Admission Information: https://www.hrad.cz/en/prague-castle-for-visitors/tickets
- Ticket Type: Prague Castle – Circuit A, Adults 350CZK, Students 175CZK, Family 700CZK
St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, exhibition “The Story of Prague Castle”, St. George’s Basilica, Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower, Powder Tower - Ticket Type: Prague Castle – Circuit B, Adults, 250CZK, Students 125CZK, Family 500CZK
St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, St. George’s Basilica, Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower - Prague Castle – Circuit C, Adults 350CZK, Students 175CZK, Family 700CZK
Exhibition “The Treasure of St. Vitus Cathedral”, Prague Castle Picture Gallery - Exhibition “The Story of Prague Castle”, Adults 140CZK, Students 70CZK, Family 280CZK
- Exhibition “The Treasure of St. Vitus Cathedral”, Adults 300CZK, Students 150CZK, Family 600CZK
- Prague Castle Picture Gallery, Adults 100CZK, Students 50CZK, Family 200CZK
- Powder Tower – Exhibition of the Castle Guard, Adults 70CZK, Students 40CZK, Family 140CZK
- Great South Tower with a View Gallery, Adults 150CZK
- Note: Tickets are valid for two consecutive days.
- Photography Permit, 50CZK, photography allowed without flash and tripod, prohibited in exhibitions “The Story of Prague Castle”, “The Treasure of St. Vitus Cathedral” and in Prague Castle Picture Gallery
- Hours: Prague Castle Complex, daily 0600-2200, Historical buildings, April 1-October 31, 0900-1700, November 1-March 31, 0900-1600, Prague Castle Gardens, April & October, 1000-1800, May & September, 1000-1900, June & July 1000-2100, August, 1000-2000, Changing of the Guard, April-October, hourly on the hour, 0700-2000, November-March, hourly on the hour, 0700-1800
- St. Vitus Cathedral Masses: Sunday Mass, 0830 (celebrated in Latin every last Sunday of the month), Sunday Vespers, 1700 (not during July-September), Monday-Thursday Mass, 0700, Friday Masses, 0700 and 1800, Saturday Mass, 0700, Confessions (Czech and English) Sunday, 0930-1000 and Friday, 1730-1750.
- Getting There: Metro station: Malostranska (line A), then take tram 22 to Prazsky hrad (shortest route). You can also walk the many steps uphill from Malostranska.
