Prague Castle: A Quick Visit
I have been starting and stopping, writing and erasing, filming and deleting on this topic essentially since I started this blog. However, over Christmas, a wise friend and patron (Hello, Shannon!) helped me get over my perfectionism and reminded me that there are many excellent sources for information about Prague--I do not have to be the best or cover everything. I just have to be me. 👍
If there is one place in Prague that every tourist sees, it is Prague Castle. The largest castle complex in the world, almost 2 million people visit annually, and I have to suspect that at least half of them wonder where the "castle" is. The castle is actually a complex of buildings, like a miniature ancient city unto itself, including palaces, cathedrals, gardens, museums, government buildings, and narrow streets, but aside from a few towers here and there, there's nothing that most English speakers would consider a "castle." Still, with expectations correctly adjusted, it is truly spectacular.
Perched on a hill across the river from the Old City, the castle has been the seat, since its founding in 870, of the kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors, presidents of Czechoslovakia, Nazi occupiers, Communist party leaders, and now, it has the home and offices of the Czech president. Like a palimpsest, there are layers and layers of history and architecture throughout the castle.
Fortunately, befitting the seat of a democratic nation, the castle complex is free--though many of the buildings require a paid ticket for entry. Unsurprisingly, trying to see everything in the castle in one day is a fool's errand, a fact reflected by the standard multi-day entry with all tickets. I'm going to write more about most of these individual spots in successive posts, but here's the free tour of Prague Castle, hitting just the highlights.
Stop One (Non-winter only)--Royal Gardens (Královská zahrada):
In the non-winter months, the size of the castle complex expands significantly with several large garden areas being open for visitors. There are multiple entry spots to the complex, but if you take the tram to Královský letohrádek (Royal Summer Palace), you can enter via the Royal Gardens. Originally laid out during the Renaissance under Hapsburg Emperor Ferdinand I (from former vineyards), the gardens have been refined and altered over the centuries, and now incorporate elements of Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical British landscape design. The combination of flowerbeds, groves of trees, paths, stunning views, and quiet spots also features multiple Renaissance and modern buildings, including the President's Villa.
Stop Two--St. Vitus' Cathedral:
The skyline of Prague Castle is dominated by the spires and towers of the Cathedral of St. Vitus, the seat of the Archbishopric of Prague. Technically, it's the Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert (Víta, Václava a Vojtěcha), but that's a fairly new development, and quite the mouthful, so St. Vitus it is. The nation's largest and most important Catholic church, St. Vitus is the third church to stand in Prague castle on that site dedicated to that saint. The current cathedral was begin in 1344, when King John of Bohemia laid the cornerstone, alongside his son and successor, the eventual Emperor Charles IV. Charles invested heavily in the cathedral, as he did with the city more generally, working to create a cathedral worthy of the imperial capital he created. Charles envisioned the cathedral as a pilgrimage site, a necropolis for members of the various ruling dynasties, a royal church, and a repository for numerous relics. The original Gothic design by Matthias of Arras and his successor Peter Parler (whose workshop was also responsible for St. Barbara's Church in Kutná Hora) was followed for about a century. Unfortunately, because Charles kept putting Parler to work on other projects around the city--including multiple churches and the Charles Bridge--only a portion of the cathedral was finished by the time the Hussite Wars disrupted Czech religious life in the early 1400s. A provisional wall was put in place, which stayed for four centuries, until the Czech revivalist movement in the mid-1800s reignited a desire to restore and finish the cathedral. In 1929, work was finally completed. Access to the back (more recent) part of the church is free and gives a good sense of the scope and scale of the church. The exterior details--including an ornate wooden door and a mosaic of The Last Judgment--are well worth a visit, as well.
Stop Three--St. George's Square (Náměstí U svatého Jiří):
Behind St. Vitus' Cathedral is St. George's Square, named for the Basilica of St. George.
St. George's Basilica was founded in 920 and was rebuilt following a major fire in 1142 in the Romanesque style, which is still visible behind the Baroque facade. The interior of the church requires a ticket, but the square itself is a good place to see the various types of architecture in the castle surrounding you on every side. Plus, during the Christmas season, the square plays host to the castle's Christmas market.
Stop Four--Overlook:
Finally emerging from the rows of buildings--including the Rosenberg and Lobkowicz Palaces--the last stop on many tours of Prague Castle is this overlook of the city below. One a clear day, almost the entire city of Prague is visible, and many, many selfies are taken. However, for even better views--with less competition--you should try...
Stop Five--(Non-winter only) The Southern Gardens:
Actually composed of multiple, smaller gardens, the Southern Gardens are, like the Royal Gardens, only open from spring to autumn. However, they provide breathtaking views of the city below with plenty of benches in cool shade, and a generally offer a respite from all the tourists who, coming straight from the castle tour, often take the steps down into the Mala Strana and don't make the almost 180 degree turn necessary to enter the gardens. These gardens connect with the front entrance to the castle.
Stop Six--(Non-winter only) Castle Gates and Hradčany Square:
Yes, it's deeply ironic to end a quick tour of Prague Castle at the main entrance. And, yes, technically, you can visit the castle gates any time of year. However, this entrance is the only one that doesn't have a tram stop at it, and it's a pretty lengthy walk--uphill--from the nearest transit, so if you visit it, you should do it at the end, or pop out before going to St. Vitus. Always best to walk downhill if you're going to do the steps at all...
The castle gates themselves are quite imposing. The outer, larger gate with the fighting giants was installed during the time of the Hapsburg Empress Maria Theresa. Due to an (unsuccessful) attack on the castle by the Prussian army in 1742, much of the castle was damaged, and Maria Theresa spent a significant amount of time and money repairing and rebuilding the castle in the latest style, in the process transforming the old fortress into the ceremonial place of pomp and circumstance we have today. Just inside that gate is the old gate--the Matthias Gate--built about a hundred years earlier during the Baroque period and dedicated to the emperor who commissioned it, Matthias II.
The main gate of the castle faces Hradčany Square--literally Castle District Square--which is a large open space with palaces/museums on all sides. Directly opposite the castle gate, looking inward, is a statue of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, sometimes referred to as TGM, the man who convinced Woodrow Wilson of the need for Czechoslovak independence following the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in World War I. He was the natural choice to be the first President of the new Czechoslovakia, and was re-elected several times, until he was forced to the retire due to ill health and old age. His tenure in office--all but a few years of the period known as the First Republic--was a golden age for the nation, and he is still revered today as, essentially, the George Washington of the Czech people. Almost every city in the country has a street, a statue, or a square named after Masaryk, so it's entirely fitting that he watches over the castle, as the castle watches over the city.
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| All photos courtesy of better photographers. |
If there is one place in Prague that every tourist sees, it is Prague Castle. The largest castle complex in the world, almost 2 million people visit annually, and I have to suspect that at least half of them wonder where the "castle" is. The castle is actually a complex of buildings, like a miniature ancient city unto itself, including palaces, cathedrals, gardens, museums, government buildings, and narrow streets, but aside from a few towers here and there, there's nothing that most English speakers would consider a "castle." Still, with expectations correctly adjusted, it is truly spectacular.
Perched on a hill across the river from the Old City, the castle has been the seat, since its founding in 870, of the kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors, presidents of Czechoslovakia, Nazi occupiers, Communist party leaders, and now, it has the home and offices of the Czech president. Like a palimpsest, there are layers and layers of history and architecture throughout the castle.
Fortunately, befitting the seat of a democratic nation, the castle complex is free--though many of the buildings require a paid ticket for entry. Unsurprisingly, trying to see everything in the castle in one day is a fool's errand, a fact reflected by the standard multi-day entry with all tickets. I'm going to write more about most of these individual spots in successive posts, but here's the free tour of Prague Castle, hitting just the highlights.
Stop One (Non-winter only)--Royal Gardens (Královská zahrada):
In the non-winter months, the size of the castle complex expands significantly with several large garden areas being open for visitors. There are multiple entry spots to the complex, but if you take the tram to Královský letohrádek (Royal Summer Palace), you can enter via the Royal Gardens. Originally laid out during the Renaissance under Hapsburg Emperor Ferdinand I (from former vineyards), the gardens have been refined and altered over the centuries, and now incorporate elements of Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical British landscape design. The combination of flowerbeds, groves of trees, paths, stunning views, and quiet spots also features multiple Renaissance and modern buildings, including the President's Villa.
Stop Two--St. Vitus' Cathedral:
The skyline of Prague Castle is dominated by the spires and towers of the Cathedral of St. Vitus, the seat of the Archbishopric of Prague. Technically, it's the Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert (Víta, Václava a Vojtěcha), but that's a fairly new development, and quite the mouthful, so St. Vitus it is. The nation's largest and most important Catholic church, St. Vitus is the third church to stand in Prague castle on that site dedicated to that saint. The current cathedral was begin in 1344, when King John of Bohemia laid the cornerstone, alongside his son and successor, the eventual Emperor Charles IV. Charles invested heavily in the cathedral, as he did with the city more generally, working to create a cathedral worthy of the imperial capital he created. Charles envisioned the cathedral as a pilgrimage site, a necropolis for members of the various ruling dynasties, a royal church, and a repository for numerous relics. The original Gothic design by Matthias of Arras and his successor Peter Parler (whose workshop was also responsible for St. Barbara's Church in Kutná Hora) was followed for about a century. Unfortunately, because Charles kept putting Parler to work on other projects around the city--including multiple churches and the Charles Bridge--only a portion of the cathedral was finished by the time the Hussite Wars disrupted Czech religious life in the early 1400s. A provisional wall was put in place, which stayed for four centuries, until the Czech revivalist movement in the mid-1800s reignited a desire to restore and finish the cathedral. In 1929, work was finally completed. Access to the back (more recent) part of the church is free and gives a good sense of the scope and scale of the church. The exterior details--including an ornate wooden door and a mosaic of The Last Judgment--are well worth a visit, as well.
Stop Three--St. George's Square (Náměstí U svatého Jiří):
Behind St. Vitus' Cathedral is St. George's Square, named for the Basilica of St. George.
St. George's Basilica was founded in 920 and was rebuilt following a major fire in 1142 in the Romanesque style, which is still visible behind the Baroque facade. The interior of the church requires a ticket, but the square itself is a good place to see the various types of architecture in the castle surrounding you on every side. Plus, during the Christmas season, the square plays host to the castle's Christmas market.
Stop Four--Overlook:
Finally emerging from the rows of buildings--including the Rosenberg and Lobkowicz Palaces--the last stop on many tours of Prague Castle is this overlook of the city below. One a clear day, almost the entire city of Prague is visible, and many, many selfies are taken. However, for even better views--with less competition--you should try...
Stop Five--(Non-winter only) The Southern Gardens:
Actually composed of multiple, smaller gardens, the Southern Gardens are, like the Royal Gardens, only open from spring to autumn. However, they provide breathtaking views of the city below with plenty of benches in cool shade, and a generally offer a respite from all the tourists who, coming straight from the castle tour, often take the steps down into the Mala Strana and don't make the almost 180 degree turn necessary to enter the gardens. These gardens connect with the front entrance to the castle.
Stop Six--(Non-winter only) Castle Gates and Hradčany Square:
Yes, it's deeply ironic to end a quick tour of Prague Castle at the main entrance. And, yes, technically, you can visit the castle gates any time of year. However, this entrance is the only one that doesn't have a tram stop at it, and it's a pretty lengthy walk--uphill--from the nearest transit, so if you visit it, you should do it at the end, or pop out before going to St. Vitus. Always best to walk downhill if you're going to do the steps at all...
The castle gates themselves are quite imposing. The outer, larger gate with the fighting giants was installed during the time of the Hapsburg Empress Maria Theresa. Due to an (unsuccessful) attack on the castle by the Prussian army in 1742, much of the castle was damaged, and Maria Theresa spent a significant amount of time and money repairing and rebuilding the castle in the latest style, in the process transforming the old fortress into the ceremonial place of pomp and circumstance we have today. Just inside that gate is the old gate--the Matthias Gate--built about a hundred years earlier during the Baroque period and dedicated to the emperor who commissioned it, Matthias II.
The main gate of the castle faces Hradčany Square--literally Castle District Square--which is a large open space with palaces/museums on all sides. Directly opposite the castle gate, looking inward, is a statue of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, sometimes referred to as TGM, the man who convinced Woodrow Wilson of the need for Czechoslovak independence following the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in World War I. He was the natural choice to be the first President of the new Czechoslovakia, and was re-elected several times, until he was forced to the retire due to ill health and old age. His tenure in office--all but a few years of the period known as the First Republic--was a golden age for the nation, and he is still revered today as, essentially, the George Washington of the Czech people. Almost every city in the country has a street, a statue, or a square named after Masaryk, so it's entirely fitting that he watches over the castle, as the castle watches over the city.
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