PRAGUE GUIDE

Visitors enter the first courtyard through a nice Baroque gate guarded by two giant statues, created by Ignác František Platzer and dating from 1769. For centuries a moat divided the castle from Hradčanské Square where the gate now stands, and the castle could only be accessed across a drawbridge.

After several years, the cathedral is now charging an entry fee again. However people, who go there to worship and pilgrims do not have to pay.

The Martinický palace on the Hradčanské square, newly opened to the public, offers the chance to view its interiors, to rent its rooms for various events, or to attend some of the events organised here. The Martinický palace is one of the most beautiful Renaissance buildings in Prague.

The Great Fürstenberg Garden is spread out around the Fürstenberg Palace. It was founded in the early 18th century by an unknown architect in place of the former vineyards.

This large palace is located on Jirska Street in the area of the Prague Castle. Originally a Renaissance palace of the noble family of Rosenberg, it was rebuilt in Baroque style and used as a residence for unmarried women from insolvent noble families.

You can see the Old Provosty, the former seat of the Prague bishops, by the south-western corner of St. Vitus Cathedral at the Prague Castle. The bishop residence was already there in the 11th century and there are the remains of the huge former Romanesque palace kept there.

When you visit the Prague Castle, you will go through the Matthias Gate from the first castle courtyard to the second one. It is the earliest work of Baroque architecture in Bohemia. It was built in 1614 as a triumphant antique arch, standing separately between the Castle Square and the Prague Castle. It was an imposing gate to the royal residence.

When you visit Prague Castle, don't forget to look around the Castle Square before the main entrance. There are several historical palaces and the Martinic Palace is one of them - it is one of the most beautiful Renaissance buildings in Prague, and was built in the 16th century.

You can find the Chapel of the Holy Cross in the Prague Castle's second courtyard. It was built in 1763 and temporarily became a treasury of the St. Vitus Cathedral in the 20th century. Valuable works of art can be seen in the chapel.

When visiting Prague Castle, you should definitely see the view from the ramp at Castle Square. It is one of the best lookout places in Prague. Castle Square is the large area in front of the entrance gate to Prague Castle.

The Black Tower is one of the oldest existing buildings in Prague. It was built in 1135 as an eastern gate of the Romanesque fortification of Prague Castle. You can still see the former gateway on the ground floor, but it is walled up now.

Prague Castle Riding School is a dipteral building by the U Prazskeho Mostu Street, which goes to the Northern gate of Prague Castle. At the end of the 17th century, it was built in Baroque style by the constructionist Jakub Antonin Canevall.

Deer Moat (Jelenni prikop) used to be a part of Prague Castle's northern fortification and helped to defend the Castle. It was created by Brusnice stream which was drained via underground pipes in 1899. Archaeologists found out in the 19th century that the moat hid traces of prehistoric settlement.

Occupying the long, narrow band of land below the Castle, South Gardens are quite small gardens linked together.

From a distance, the facade of this well preserved palace appears to be clad in projecting pyramid-shaped stonework, but it is an illusion created by rich black-and-white sgraffito patterns incised on a flat wall. It is an example of the so-called Czech Renaissance – mixing the Italian influences with Czech traditions.

To the north of the castle fortifications and across from the deep moat stands Belvedere Palace, a pleasant place to relax. The palace can be seen from the tram if you take a ride up to the castle. This finest Italian Renaissance building was completed in 1564.

There are seven gardens surrounding the Prague Castle but The Royal Garden is historically the most important of them, created in 1535 for Ferdinand I. Originally a Renaissance garden, with some beautiful pieces of architecture inspired by Italian influences, it used to be a place, where the king and his family relaxed, played games and raised exotic plants.

This tower was built in the late 15th century by King Vladislav as a cannon bastion overlooking the Stag Moat. At that time it was one of the most modern and effective fortifications. The tower was rebuilt after the fire in 1541 and became the gunpowder deposit and home of Tomáš Jaroš.

Prague Castle looks almost like a small town itself. It is the largest ancient castle in the world (570m long and on average 128m wide). It is also where the Czech kings, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of the Czech Republic used to have their offices. It is not surprising that this is the most visited tourist attraction in Prague.

This garden, cultivated as a natural park in the mid-19th century, formed a green belt beneath most of the southern face wall of Prague Castle, and has currently been restored according to the design by architect Plecnik.