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Prague Castle (PRAŽSKÝ HRAD)
Pražský hrad Praha 1 - Hradčany 119 08 Phone: 224 371 111 http://www.kulturanahrade.czAbout
National cultural monument, the symbol of more than millennial development of the Czech state. Since its foundation in the last quarter of the 9th century it has been developing uninterruptedly throughout the past eleven centuries. It is a monumental complex of ecclesiastical, fortification, residential and office buildings representing all architectural styles and periods, surrounding three castle courtyards and covering 45 hectares. Originally it used to be the residence of princes and kings of Bohemia, since 1918 it is the seat of the president. | Prague CastlePrague Castle has been our most significant national cultural and historical monument; it is a symbol of the development of the Czech state lasting for more than a thousand years. It is a monumental complex of palace, church, fortification, official and residential buildings, which represent precious monuments of all the architectural styles. It spreads on the area of 45 hectares. It was the seat of the Bohemian princes, kings, and emperors, and after the republic was established in 1918, it has also been the seat of the presidents.Since 1962, Prague Castle with its archaeological findings has been registered as the National Cultural Monument No. 1.HistoryBeginnings of Prague Castle are connected with the first historically documented member of the Přemyslid family, Bořivoj. In the 880s, he transferred his original seat from Levý Hradec to a place where there had already been a Slavic settlement on the hill above the Vltava River with a very advantageous position. The first princely palace was probably made of wood. The fist stone building and the oldest Christian sanctuary was the Virgin Mary Church. Its remains were found between the second courtyard and the Bastion Garden (Na Baště). This church of Bořivoj was soon re-built by prince Spytihněv I, who was buried here in 915. The second church within the Castle premises was the St. George Basilica established by prince Vratislav I. The next of the Přemyslid princes, Václav (the saint) had the third sanctuary built nearby in the 920s - St. Vít Rotund, which was re-built by prince Spytihněv II to a mighty basilica in the 11th century.In 973, when the episcopate was established in Prague, Prague Castle was not only the seat of the head of the state, but also the seat of the Prague bishop, the highest representative of the church. At the same time, the first Bohemian monastery was founded by the St. George Basilica.In the 10th century, the Castle took up approximately 6 hectares. During the Romanic era, the former settlement was re-built to a strong Medieval castle, namely after 1135 thanks to Soběslav I, when the stone princely palace was built and new stone fortifications strengthened by several towers, the best preserved of which is the Eastern Black Tower.The appearance of Prague Castle was very markedly affected by the Gothic era, namely by Charles IV (1346 - 1378), who succeeded in persuading the pope to promote the Prague episcopate to archiepiscopate, together with his father John of Bohemia (John the Blind) (1310 - 1346), and he laid the foundation stone to the building of the St. Vitus temple. During the reign of Charles IV, the Castle for the first time became an imperial residence. Charles IV had the Prague Castle fortifications strengthened; he generously rebuilt the royal palace with All Saints Chapel. He covered the roofs of the spires by gold-plated metal sheets, which gave rise to the saying Gold Prague. In 1382, Bohemian rulers moved their residence away from Prague Castle for more than 100 years. Royal court was located in what is today the Municipal House, and only returned to Prague Castle in 1483 with Vladislav from the Jagiellon family.Although the ruler moved to Buda in 1490, he arranged for rebuilding of Prague Castle in late-Gothic style under the command of Benedikt Ried. He was the builder of the magnificent Vladislav Hall, the greatest profane vau
