Prague Castle | History, Location & Facts
Table of Contents
- What is Prague Castle?
- Where is Prague Castle?
- History of Prague Castle
- Facts about Prague Castle
- Lesson Summary
Why is Prague Castle famous?
One of the reasons Prague Castle is so famous is because it is one of the longest-standing political and religious centers in Europe. It features constructions from many different time periods. It was the location of one of the inciting incidents of the Thirty Years' War and is still in use by the Czech Republic.
What is special about Prague Castle?
Arguably the most special thing about Prague Castle is the juxtaposition of the various architectural styles on display, including some of the first representations of said styles within the city of Prague. Prague Castle features Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance architecture most prominently.
What is inside Prague Castle?
Prague Castle boasts an enormous amount of property, roughly 110 acres of land. Inside are many different buildings, including St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George's Basilica, the Royal Palace itself, and many different courtyards and gardens.
Table of Contents
- What is Prague Castle?
- Where is Prague Castle?
- History of Prague Castle
- Facts about Prague Castle
- Lesson Summary
Prague Castle, sometimes also called Prague Palace and known as Prazsky hrad and Hradcany in the Czech language, was built in the 9th century as the residence of the Bohemian kings and royalty along with high-ranking church officials. The castle started with humble beginnings, featuring a moat and wooden structures fortified with clay and stone. Though much of what stood on the grounds is now lost to time, researchers believe that one of the first walled buildings was a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
The castle and its associated buildings were used, rebuilt, fell out of favor, and rose again over the decades and centuries, with different royals adding to and improving Prague Castle as they saw fit. Now, Prague Castle stands as the home of the president of the Czech Republic as well as a major cultural site, and it boasts a long and storied history.
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Prague Castle stands within the historical center of Prague in the Czech Republic, covering a total of about 110 acres with its gardens and associated buildings included. This makes it one of the largest castle complexes in the world today. The castle grounds are northwest of the modern center of Prague, located on the west bank of the Vltava River. The grounds of the castle are dominated by the St. Vitus Cathedral, which is both the largest and arguably most important church in the Czech Republic. While the cathedral's construction began in the 14th century, the church had existed in a smaller form since 925. Much like the castle as a whole, the St. Vitus Cathedral saw many revitalizations over the years.
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The city of Prague has its roots in Prague Castle, but the area itself had been settled for many thousands of years into prehistoric times as a trading hub between northern and southern Europe. First controlled by the Premyslides, Prague Castle was formed into the historical heritage site it is today over generations and across royal dynasties, with different rulers adding and changing the palace over time. While the entire history of the castle would take a long time to cover, the following is a brief summary of some of the most important events in the building's existence.
The Early Years
As previously mentioned, Prague Castle began with the Church of the Virgin Mary and a number of common fortifications. Prince Borivoj of the Premyslides family is credited with founding the castle sometime around the year 880 and making the castle the official seat of his family. Borivoj is cited as the first Christian prince among the Bohemians, which is especially important to note given the number of impressive churches that would adorn the castle grounds. Unlike the Church of the Virgin Mary, the first palace was made of wood, but would later be replaced with stonework. The church that would become St. George's Basilica saw its construction begin around 920 and stands today as a beautiful depiction of the Romanesque style of architecture. Also built in the Romanesque style, Prince Wenceslas "the Good" commissioned the building of the Church of St. Vitus in 925 and was later buried there in 932.
The importance of Prague Castle and the Church of St. Vitus grew as time passed, as in 973 Prague Castle was appointed as the residence of the Bishop of Prague. In 1060, the Church of St. Vitus was converted into a basilica. The Basilica of St. Vitus stood for many years until 1344 when Charles IV ordered that work begin on a Gothic-style cathedral in its stead that rivaled the cathedrals of France. Charles IV was the Bohemian king from 1346 until his death in 1378, but he also ruled as the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 1355 to 1378.
Not only did this join Bohemia with the Holy Roman Empire, but also transformed Prague into the primary cultural, political, economic, and eventually literal capital of the empire. The reign of Charles IV was something of a golden age for Prague Castle, but it would not last. Construction of the cathedral would continue under Wenceslas IV, Charles's son, but most progress ceased due to the Hussite Wars, and the cathedral would not be completed until 1929. However, progress on other segments of the castle continued. Vladislav II began to rebuild fortifications and redesign the castle in 1483. Among his most important contributions was Vladislav Hall, the largest vaulted hall in Europe when compared to contemporaries and one of the first representations of Renaissance architecture in Prague.
Later History
In 1526, another dynasty came to rise as the royal family of Bohemia and the Holy Roman Empire, namely the Habsburgs. The transition was not a peaceful one, as the Habsburgs were Roman Catholics and the Czech people and previous dynasties had largely been Protestant. The Habsburgs sought to uproot Protestantism and did so with displays of force. One such event is known as the Second Defenestration of Prague, which involved Protestant government officials being thrown from the windows of the castle's council chambers in 1618. This event directly preceded the Thirty Years' War, a series of wars throughout Europe between Catholic and Protestant forces. During this time, Prague was removed as the capital of the empire and in 1631 Prague Castle was sacked and occupied by the Saxons, a Germanic people from northern Europe.
After the war, Prague Castle fell out of favor as a seat of power in the eyes of the Habsburgs, though construction and restoration continued under the control of groups of noblewomen. In 1848, Emperor Ferdinand V abdicated his role and retired to Prague Castle. In 1918, Prague Castle was chosen as the national seat of power for the newly created Czechoslovakia. The Cathedral of St. Vitus would be completed in 1929 and, though Czechoslovakia would dissolve in 1993, Prague would remain the capital of the new Czech Republic and the home of the Czech president.
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As discussed, Prague Castle was built, maintained, lived in, and rebuilt by many different rulers and noble groups, each of which had a hand in the creation of its modern state today. One particularly visible result of this is a blending of different architectural styles. The Cathedral of St. Vitus, for example, features elements of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Neo-Gothic construction. The castle itself, similarly, is a blend of these styles as well. Multiple courtyards and walking gardens also mirror the trends of other royal grounds at the time they were made.
Throughout the history of Prague and Prague Castle, religion and government were tightly woven together. Prague Castle was essentially founded as a church, as that was the first walled building. As previously mentioned, Prague Castle also acted as the residence of Prague's bishop for many years. Even today, two churches stand as the centerpieces of the castle grounds. When the Bohemian kings also ruled as Holy Roman Emperors, the ruler of Prague was also a religious figure.
Prague Castle was also a cultural hub. One site of note is what is commonly called "Golden Lane," a small street to the northwest of the castle that served as housing for various castle servants and beneficiaries, like royal alchemists. The famous author Franz Kafka also happened to live there from 1916 to 1917. Perhaps more infamous than the lane were the two prison towers that flanked it, which now serve as museum locations.
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Prague Castle was built in the 9th century by Prince Borivoj of the Premyslides family. It began as a humble fortification on a riverbank with a moat, partially stone ramparts, and wooden buildings, but over time the location was built and rebuilt by Bohemian kings until it became a powerful political, religious, and cultural hub for all of Europe.
Prague Castle was always home to churches since its foundation, but the grandest started as the Church of St. Vitus. This building would change into a basilica and then would be turned into a cathedral by the order of Charles IV. St. Vitus Cathedral still stands today as the largest and most important church in all of the Czech Republic. As the churches and castles passed through many hands over the years, a highlight of Prague Castle is the mixture of architectural styles, including the first representation of Renaissance architecture in Prague featured in the vaulted Vladislav Hall. Prague Castle's history did face some troubles, including being sacked during the Thirty Years' War by Saxon invaders. Prague Castle survived and remains the home of the Czech president while also serving as a historical site.
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Additional Info
Where Is Prague Castle?
If you ever travel to the city of Prague in the Czech Republic, you'll see a massive group of buildings in the city's heart. Stone towers, fortified walls and large structures command the cityscape overlooking the Vltava River. The buildings are all part of a sprawling complex known as Prague Castle.
For generations, Prague Castle was the seat of power for kings and princes of Bohemia. The site is dominated by the massive St. Vitus Cathedral, one of Prague's most famous landmarks. The whole complex covers 110 acres, and it's one of the largest castle complexes in the world. Prague Castle includes structures and the remains of structures that represent thousands of years of history, many built from the 10th through the 14th century and later.
While we can't discuss the castle's whole lengthy history in detail, let's cover a few important moments in its development.
History of Prague Castle
Prague Castle was created over time. Many princes and rulers built structures, rebuilt and expanded structures, and added fortifications on the location. The castle went through periods when it fell into disuse and disrepair, only to rise again.
The Early Years
The complex that would became Prague castle was founded in the 9th century by Slavic leader Prince Borivoj, the first Christian prince of Bohemia. He built basic structures, like a moat and barriers of stones and clay, and a series of wooden frame residential buildings. Later, the first stone structure, the Church of the Virgin Mary, was built. While the wood buildings are long gone, remnants of the early stone church remain today. After 1135, Prince Sobeslav I built a stone palace and strengthened the older stone fortifications with towers, including the Eastern Black Tower. And then the Old Royal Palace was built in the 12th century.
During the Gothic period, Charles IV (1346 - 1378), a King of Bohemia and the Holy Roman Emperor, initiated the process of building the mighty St. Vitus Cathedral. Under him, Prague Castle became an imperial residence. Then, in the late 1400s, a later ruler, King Vladislav II, added to Prague Castle's grandeur by commissioning the building of Vladislav Hall, a grand vaulted palace space that became the largest in medieval Prague.
Later History
In 1526, the Habsburg Dynasty took the Czech throne. One Habsburg ruler moved the seat of power to Vienna but embellished Prague Castle to be a summer retreat. Later, Habsburg ruler Rudolf II moved power back to Prague.
During this period, Prague Castle also suffered setbacks. A fire in 1541 damaged parts of the complex. Ironically, it resulted in rebuilding that made the castle even more impressive. But then the Saxons, a Germanic tribe from the north, invaded the region around Prague. They seized and plundered the castle around 1634. But later rulers brought the castle back to Czech dominion.
In 1918, Prague Castle became the seat of the head of state for the independent Czechoslovak Republic. And later, It resumed that role after the end of later Communist rule. In 1989, parts of Prague Castle were opened to the public. Today, it's the seat of the head of government, and it remains an enduring and cherished historic site and symbol of the Czech people.
Facts About Prague Castle
Because it developed over such a long period of time, Prague Castle has buildings done in many architectural styles, including Romanesque and Gothic. Among its structures are fortifications, churches, courtyards, palaces, gardens and museums. It also has two towers that once served as notorious prisons.
Prague Castle developed during periods when religious and political power were intertwined. For a period of time after 973, it was the site of both a secular head of state and the seat of the Bishop of Prague.
And sometimes, it takes a long time to finish building projects. The mighty St. Vitus Cathedral, started all the way back in the 14th century, wasn't officially completed until 1929.
Lesson Summary
Prague Castle is a sprawling complex of buildings that served as the seat of kings and princes of Bohemia. It is located in the city of Prague in the Czech Republic. Among the famous structures is St. Vitus Cathedral, that towers over the city. Prague Castle was established by the Bohemian Prince Borivoj in the 9th century. Later rulers who added to Prague Castle included Charles IV who was a King of Bohemian and a Holy Roman Emperor. In the 1400s, a later ruler built Vadislav Hall, then the largest open space in Prague. Prague Castle also suffered setbacks, including being sacked by the Saxons, an invading Germanic tribe, in the 1630s. Today, Prague Castle still stands, a proud symbol of the Czech people.
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