Castle, Prague

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Prague castle, or Pražský hrad as it is known in Prague, is one of Prague's most significant monuments and therefore definitely a must see. Plan ahead and allocate at least 2 days of your trip to see the Castle. When we first bought the entrance ticket, we didn't realize that the ticket is, in fact, valid for 2 consecutive days. This gives you more time to look around and explore each section of the castle.

The ticket costs 350 czk and grants you access to 9 locations/galleries/exhibitions within the castle:

(1) The Old Royal Palace
(2) The Story of Prague exhibition
(3) St. George's Basilica
(4) Convent of St. George
(5) Golden Lane
(6) Prague Castle Picture Gallery
(7) St. Vitus's Cathedral
(8) Rosenberg Palace
(9) Powder Tower

The castle is quite a busy tourist attraction, however, due to its proportions, you don't normally have to queue and there's a reasonable amount of space within which you can walk comfortably. Be careful of pickpockets. They are everywhere, especially in front of St. Vitus's Cathedral.

While we were there, there was a man who got robbed and he didn't realize until it was too late. He was taking photos of the Cathedral and a man approached him to ask him if he'd be willing to take a photo of him with the Cathedral in the background. The man, put down his briefcase on a bench nearby to be able to take the photo. Little did he know that another man was waiting for just that - for him to lay down his things so that he could take them. By the time we heard the man shouting and calling for help, it was too late to even identify the man who had asked for the photo. They had both left the scene. The man was robbed of his laptop and passports.

Food and drinks are available in certain spots within the castle. Food is slightly pricey so if you're on a budget, you may want to pack your own lunch and drinks.

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The Prague Castle (Prazhski grad) is the castle in Prague where the Czech kings, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of the Czech Republic (and Czechoslovakia) have had their offices. The crown jewels of the Bohemian Kingdom are kept here. Prague Castle is one of the biggest castles in the world (according to Guinness Book of Records the biggest ancient castle) at about 570 meters in length and an average of about 130 meters wide.

The castle buildings represent virtually every architectural style of the last millennium. The Prague Castle includes gothic St Vitus Cathedral, romanesque basilica of St. George, a monastery and several palaces, gardens and defence towers. Most of the castle areas are opened to the tourists.

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I was able to have a walk through the castle grounds after dark with a colleague. Sadly it was to late in the evening to visit any of the attractions, but it was indeed an odd sensation to be walking through the offices of the President of the Czech Republic.

It was cold and quite dark, there were military guards present and the Presidential flag was flying over the castle. I am told he must have been at home.

We walked up on side of the castle then down through a rear entrance - it took some time to walk through the squares and gates that were still open to the public, even though it was well after 21.00.

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This is a side tour within prage castle area. It was on of the most interesting things to do there, Its amazing how the family lost all there blongings to plunder of two wars and to be able to get everything back again is unbelievable

While in there go to cafe and get the apple strudle its the best thing !!! ah my yum yum

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This is actually more of a complex with several historical sites up on a hill overlooking the river and the city. When I was there, key parts were closed but I did get to see the Royal Palace, which was the most interesting part, and St. George's Basilica. There are also amazing views of Prague from up here.

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Also included in the "short visit" admission ticket is the Rosenberg Palace, which was originally built as a Renaissance palace for the aristocratic Rosenberg family. In the eighteenth century it was rebuilt in Baroque style. Starting in 1756 it was used as a "residence for unmarried women from insolvent noble families."

One apartment in the Rosenberg Palace (second photo) has been furnished to look like the apartment of a noble lady living in the Institute in the eighteenth century, using antique furniture and other items from the depository of Prague Castle.

For most of the twentieth century the palace was used for offices of the Interior Ministry and later the Castle Administration. After a thorough restoration, the palace was opened to the public in April 2010 for the first time in its history.

Second photo: This is how the apartments might have been furnished in the eighteenth century for unmarried noblewomen who lived there.

Third photo: An eighteenth century mousetrap (with mouse) and toilet box in the Rosenberg Palace.

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As long as you don't let yourself be defenestrated you can have some fine views of Prague from the Old Royal Palace.

Charles Bridge is in the center of the first photo.

Second photo: The Vltava (Moldau) River from the Old Royal Palace, looking downstream.

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The second Prague defenestration took place here in the Old Royal Palace in the year 1618, when a group of angry Protestants bribed their way into the castle and threw three Catholics out of a third-storey window, two high Catholic officials and their secretary. This was one of the incidents that set off the dreadful Thirty Years' War, which devastated much of central Europe and killed off two-thirds of the German population.

Amazingly, the three people who were defenestrated actually survived their fall from the third-floor window. The Catholics claimed they had survived because angels intervened to save them. The Protestants said it was because they landed in a soft pile of horse manure.

(The first Prague defenestration happened nearly two centuries earlier, in the year 1419, when seven members of the city council were thrown out of a window of the city hall. All seven were killed, either by the fall or by the angry mob that was waiting out in the street.)

Second photo: Vladislov Hall in the Old Royal Palace.

Third photo: All Saints Church in the Old Royal Palace.

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They call it "the largest coherent castle complex in the world." with an area of almost 70,000 m².

There are two types of admission tickets, the "long visit" and the "short visit". I took the short visit, so I missed out on the Powder Tower, the Picture Gallery and a permanent exhibition called "The Story of Prague Castle".

Second photo: Looking up at the castle and cathedral, with the river and Charles Bridge in the foreground.

Possibly the largest (570 by 100 metres) castle in the world. Founded in the second half of the 9th century and continuously built since then, it contains both St Vitus Cathedral (see below) and the palaces which are now the seat of Czech parliament. Also behind the cathedral is St George's Basilica which is well worth seeing.

Inside the Royal palace is Vladislav Hall, used for formal occasions and the presidential elections, it has a fantastic vaulted roof. Also the room itself is about 50 metres long. There are many other richly decorated rooms here for one to see.