Prague’s Castle (Pražský Hrad)
Prague’s Castle (Pražský hrad), first established in the 9th century and renovated by the architect J. Plecnik after the WWI, is the official residence of the Czech kings, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of the modern Czech and Czechoslovak Republic. From Charles River Bridge (Karlův most), Mala Strana and Petrin (Petřín) Hill one can easily access Prague Castle by foot, so I recommend having a cup of coffee or tea at one of the cafes in Malá Strana before starting the long climb to the Castle. The Malostranska kavarna will be a good pick; Franz Kafka visited this cafe many times while writing his famous “The Castle” story.
Since Prague’s Castle (about 570 mr in length and 130 mr wide ) is one of the biggest castles in the world (and the biggest ancient castle) – the detailed information about its sites takes ages to be shared. For that reason, visiting the castle information office across the Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral is always a good idea. The office is opened daily from 9 am till 5 pm from 1 April to 31 October, and from 9 am till 4 pm from 1 November to 31 March. The information office offers a free map and a ticket to be purchased, which is valid for most of the Castle’s sites. One ticket costs 350 czk for Adults and 175 czk for Children.
Keep in mind that climbing Prague’s Castle can be challenging. The road is steep and quite long. At the middle of the ascent you can rest while either savoring the spectacular city views or buying pictures and souvenirs at one of the stands. I bought a new wooden cat for my almost monumental wooden cat collection. At every journey I buy at least one cat… One day, when I’ll be really old, I hope to collect amount of cats that is comparable to amount of cultural and historical “must-be-visited” sites in Prague Castle.
One of the most famous sites is the St. Vitus Cathedral (the seat of the Archbishop of Prague, estaslished originally at 925 and rebuilt many times); the Old Royal Palace, served as the permanent residence of Bohemian kings until 1500s; Basilica of St. George Church – the oldest church in the castle; and Golden Lane, a small street build of historic houses, featuring souvenir shops and exhibitions dating back to the end of the 15th Century.
The Changing of the Guard, takes place every hour at the front gates of the Castle, and it is also a recommended experience– especially at noon, when it includes a fanfare.
Prague’s Castle terrain, not including museums, churches and palaces, is open daily from 6 am to 11 pm. I’ve heard a legend about a huge black dog, who comes in every day to the front gates from 11 pm to 12 pm, and accompanies the passing by to Loretto Monastery and disappears into the night sky
