Prague Castle

Pražský hrad

The world's largest ancient castle complex. It has been the seat of Bohemian royal power from the 9th century to today, and it is now home to the Czech president. St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, and Golden Lane are its core attractions.

Prague Castle was begun in the late 9th century. It is listed in the Guinness World Records as the largest coherent castle complex in the world, covering nearly 70,000 square meters. For more than a thousand years, it was the seat of Bohemian dukes, kings, Holy Roman Emperors, and Czech presidents. It was also the site of the 1618 Defenestration of Prague, which sparked the Thirty Years' War.

Main highlights: St. Vitus Cathedral was begun by Charles IV in 1344 and was not completed until 1929. This Gothic cathedral contains Art Nouveau stained-glass windows designed by Alphonse Mucha, the St. Wenceslas Chapel, and the two-ton silver tomb of St. John of Nepomuk. You can climb the 287 steps of the South Tower for views over the city (separate ticket required). The Vladislav Hall in the Old Royal Palace has a huge late Gothic rib-vaulted ceiling, and knights once rode their horses in here for tournaments. St. George's Basilica is a 10th-century Romanesque church. Golden Lane is a row of colorful small houses beneath the castle walls, where 16th-century alchemists and guards once lived. Kafka wrote at No. 22 from 1916 to 1917, and the house has been restored with a workshop and living quarters.

Admission: The main route (the cathedral, Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, and Golden Lane) costs about 450 CZK. Tickets can be bought on hrad.cz or on site. The courtyards and gardens are free. Security checks are required to enter the castle area, and in peak season, queues between 10:00 and 15:00 can last up to 30 minutes. A guard changing ceremony with music takes place in front of the main gate, the Matthias Gate, at noon every day, with smaller changes on the hour.

Getting there: Take tram 22 to Pražský hrad stop and enter from the north side on the flat road. Alternatively, walk up from the Lesser Town along the Castle Stairs (Zámecké schody), about 15 minutes from Malostranská metro station. It is best to go up first and come down later: take tram 22 up the hill, visit the castle, and then walk down Nerudova Street to the Lesser Town.

The viewing terrace beyond the east exit and the Royal Garden on the south side (open April to October) overlook the red-tiled rooftops. The Strahov Monastery (with its Baroque library) and Loreto Church nearby are also worth a visit. Allow at least 3 hours for the whole castle area.

Opening hours

Castle grounds 06:00–22:00; building interiors Apr–Oct 09:00–17:00, Nov–Mar 09:00–16:00

World Heritage · Castle · Church · Gothic · Changing of the guard

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