Prague Castle

Destination 》Europe 》Central and Eastern Europe 》Czech Republic 》Prague Castle

Year Visited: 2009 – December

I visited the Prague Castle in Dec 2009 during my trip to Prague, both Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral are inscribed in UNESCO World Heritage site since 1992.

Prague Castle, built in the 9th century, is the official office of the President of the Czech Republic. The castle was a seat of power for kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman emperors, and presidents of Czechoslovakia.

Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral and the Lesser Town across the Charles bridge.

Statuary of the Holy Crucifix and Calvary on Charles Bridge. Originally built in 1361. Bought in Dresden, Current crucifix was made in 1629. The golden Hebrew text on the crucifix was added in 1696. In that year, the Prague authorities accused a local Jewish leader of blasphemy. As his punishment he was ordered to raise the funds for the purchasing of gold-plated Hebrew letters, placed around the head of the statue, spelling out “Holy, Holy, Holy, the Lord of Hosts,”

During cold weather of Prague in December, on the north side of the Charles Bridge, topless PETA members educating people not to wear furs or leather. In the background, the statue of John of Nepomuk, installed in 1683.

One of many statues on the Charles Bridge. The Malá Strana Bridge Tower in background.

These two stylistically different towers, connected by a gate, serves as the entrance to Malá Strana (Lesser Town) from the Charles Bridge. The smaller tower dating from the 12th century was originally part of the long-gone 12th-century Judith Bridge. The taller Late Gothic tower from 1464 is based on the architecture of Old Town Bridge Tower.

Prague Castle, built in the 9th century is the official office of the President of the Czech Republic.

Matthias Gate, a gate between the first and the second courtyards of Prague Castle, It was erected by Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor in 1614.[

The Prague Castle Guards at the entrance of the Prague Castle.

Changing the Guard takes place in the first courtyard of Prague Castle at 12:00 daily. This is the formal handover carried out with a fanfare and banner exchange.

Prague old town, a view from the Prague Castle.

Charles Bridge, a historic bridge on the Vltava river in Prague. Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the beginning of the 15th century. Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral are in the backdrop.

Love locks looking over Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral.

St. Vitus Cathedral, a Roman Catholic cathedral, founded in 930 AD, an iconic landmark of Prague, pride and a national monument of the Czech Republic. It dominates in the middle of the third courtyard of Prague Castle. For centuries, christenings, coronations, weddings of the kings of the Czech Republic were held here, the mausoleum of the kings of Bohemia and the archbishops of Prague is also located here.

St. Vitus Cathedral, a Roman Catholic cathedral, founded in 930 AD and built over a time span of almost 600 years, is one of the most richly endowed cathedrals in central Europe.

The western facade, the main entrance for visitors.

Rose window on the west side of St. Vitus Cathedral is one of the last features completed in 1925-27, nearly 600 years after the cathedral was started.

St. Vitus Cathedral door arch relief.

St. Vitus Cathedral Great South Tower. Three arches of the Golden Gate is the ceremonial entrance to St. Vitus Cathedral for coronations and funerals.

A window with golden ornaments.

Metal figurines depicting scenes of everyday activities on the wrought iron gates across the entrance of the Golden Gate arches.

Sculpture of St. John of Nepomuk at St. Vitus Cathedral.

The royal mausoleum in the middle of the cathedral’s chancel in front of the high altar.

The St. Vitus Cathedral has two pipe organ casings. The upper façade belonged to a baroque organ, which was built in 1765 and had 40 stops on 3 manuals and pedals. This case is purely decorative. The lower neoclassical casing contains today’s main organ built in the years 1929-31. The rather modest instrument in relation to the large church space has 58 stops on 3 manuals and pedals, 4,475 pipes in total.

Coat of arms of the Prague City with the motto “Praha matka měst” (“Prague, the mother of cities”) at St. Vitus Cathedral of Prague Palace. It was designed in 1918.

St Wenceslas Chapel, the masterpiece of Czech Gothic and the pride of St Vitus Cathedral. Charles IV built the chapel as an honor to the saint. Every coronation started in this chapel, as the kings went to pray there.

The Silver Tomb of St. John of Nepomuk, created out of two tons of silver by Fischer von Erlach in 1736.

The Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk across from his tomb contains a cherished relic. Years after St. John of Nepomuk was drowned, his body was pulled from the river and a part of his body, saved in this reliquary.