Pražský Hrad

The most famous tourist attraction in the Czech Republic is, of course, Prague Castle, which happens to be the oldest and largest castle in all of Europe. Its size, history, and architecture are fascinating along with its magnificent gardens. These photographs are taken from two different occasions: a walk through the gardens with some fellow Fulbright scholars during the summer time, and a tour of the castle complex with my mother during autumn. Both occasions offer two completely different perspectives of the castle, but I have intertwined the experiences to give you best of both worlds.

The castle complex is the focal point of Prague and can be seen from every vantage point. This is a picture I took from atop Petrin Tower (See: Petřínské Sady). The most iconic part of the castle complex is St. Vitus Cathedral, which portrays a vast architectural contrast compared to its neighbors.

Prague Castle Complex

As you walk up to the castle, you first enter Hradčanské Náměstí, or the Castle Square. This was the main area for medieval power, where the king, the most powerful noblemen, and the archbishop lived. The archbishop continues to reside in this area today as well as the President of the Czech Republic. It's a beautiful place to stop for pictures overlooking Prague and to hear a local band or orchestra.

A Partly Cloudy Day

A Rainy Day

From the castle square you can view the main gate and courtyard of the castle. Every hour there is a changing of the guard ceremony, however, nothing compares to the changing of the guard ceremony in England, which I was able to see last summer. In order to enter the castle grounds, you must pass through the statues of giants fighting and a golden arch.

Our first stop once on the castle grounds was St. Vitus Cathedral (Katedrála  Sv. Víta). It contains the tombs and relics of the most important local saints and kings, including the first three Hapsburg kings. The architectural detail both inside and outside of the cathedral are outstanding, including the breathtaking stained-glass windows.

Tomb of St. Vitus

Mucha Stained Glass Window

Tomb of St. John of Nepomuk

Royal Oratory with Coats of Arms

Choir

Organ

Golden Gate

The main part of the cathedral was built during the 14th century in the gothic style, while the nave was built during the 19th and 20th centuries in Neo-gothic style. You can see the differences between the two types of architecture below. The church's construction began in 1344 and was completed in 1929 due to wars and plagues throughout the centuries.

Gothic

Neo-Gothic

We then passed by the current Czech Republic President's offices. I'll explain more about the Czech political system in another post.

Current Czech President: Miloš Zeman

The most interesting fact is that this balcony is exactly where Hitler stood when he took over Czechoslovakia under Fascism in 1939, and later where Stalin stood when he took over Czechoslovakia under Communism in 1948. They both made triumphant speeches and forever altered the fate of Czechoslovakia into a nation succumbed to foreign dominance and dependence. 

We continued our tour with the Old Royal Palace (Starý Královský Palác), which in all honesty, was an extremely disappointing sight for me. It was hardly furnished so one had to do their best to imagine the displays and functions that used to be held in these now empty rooms from the scant descriptions provided. The only intriguing aspect was an event called the Defenestration of Prague, which occurred in 1618. Defenestration is the act of throwing someone out of a window. Yes, you read that correctly. Three men were defenestrated for violating religious liberty in the Hapsburg Empire, and magically, were not injured, though they fell as great distance. This event marked the beginning of the Thirty Years' War in Eastern Europe. Today, Czechs joke about defenestration on a regular basis, though I haven't heard any current tales.

Our next stop was the Basilica and Convent of St. George (Bazilika Sv. Jiři), which is Prague's best preserved Romanesque church. I loved the Basilica's red facade as well as the fresco remnants inside, which date back to the 12th century. We were lucky to even see that much of the frescoes thanks to modern preservation techniques. 

Basilica of St. George

18th Century Fresco

12th Century Fresco

My favorite part of the entire castle complex was the Golden Lane (Zlatá Ulička). It's a street filled with tiny buildings that originally housed castle servants and workers. The street currently portrays a mix of shops and reconstructions of medieval life, such as a goldsmith's workshop, a prison, an armory, and a sorcerer's living quarters.

Golden Lane

Torture Weapons

Armor Hats

Bird-Looking Armor

Bear-Skin Rug

Sorcerer's Bedroom

Prison Chamber

Torture Chamber and Chair

And, lastly, here are some photographs of the castle gardens, which happen to be beautiful due to our semi-sunny day! It's typical for the gardens to be adorned with fountains, statues, and lovely florals.

Though Prague Castle is a must-see while in the Czech Republic, it honestly wasn't my favorite sight. There are plenty of other more beautiful castles in this country. However, the history is fascinating and it's something that is worth doing if you're in the area. The best aspects are going to the castle square to enjoy music and look at the views overlooking Prague and to wander through the gigantic gardens. Since it's the main tourist attraction, the tickets are ridiculously expensive. Okay, let's be honest, I now judge things based on Czech currency, which means things I originally found cheap based on the American-Czech exchange rate, I now find expensive since living here. It's roughly $30 for the tour, but other tourist attractions are about $10. Nevertheless, you can roam the gardens and castle complex for free, if you decide you do not want to enter any buildings. It's always a great place to go for a walk on a lovely day!