Prague Castle

Coordinates: 50°05.385′N 14°23.904′E / 50.089750°N 14.398400°E / 50.089750; 14.398400
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Prague Castle
Pražský hrad
Prague Castle
Map
General information
Architectural styleBaroque, Mannerism
LocationPrague 1, Prague, Czech Republic
Current tenantsPetr Pavel
(2023–present)
Construction started870
Design and construction
Architect(s)Matthias of Arras, Peter Parler
Website
www.hrad.cz

Prague Castle (

Bohemian Crown Jewels
are kept within a hidden room inside it.

According to the

Guinness Book of Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world,[1][2] occupying an area of almost 70,000 square metres (750,000 square feet), at about 570 metres (1,870 feet) in length and an average of about 130 metres (430 feet) wide. The castle is among the most visited tourist attractions in Prague, attracting over 1.8 million visitors annually.[3]

History

Prague Castle in 1607
Prague Castle in 1870

Přemyslid fort

The history of the castle began in 870 when its first walled building, the Church of the Virgin Mary, was built.[4] The Basilica of Saint George and the Basilica of St. Vitus were founded under the reign of Vratislaus I, Duke of Bohemia and his son St. Wenceslaus in the first half of the 10th century.

The first convent in Bohemia was founded in the castle, next to the church of St. George. A Romanesque palace was erected here during the 12th century.

Several 13th-century Venetian coins found there were studied by the numismatist Zdenka Nemeškalová-Jiroudková.[5]

Medieval castle

King Ottokar II of Bohemia improved fortifications and rebuilt the royal palace for the purposes of representation and housing. In the 14th century, under the reign of Charles IV the royal palace was rebuilt in Gothic style and the castle fortifications were strengthened. In place of the rotunda and basilica of St. Vitus, building began of a vast Gothic church, that were completed almost six centuries later.

During the Hussite Wars and the following decades, the castle was not inhabited. In 1485, King Vladislaus II Jagiellon began to rebuild the castle. The massive Vladislav Hall (built by Benedikt Rejt) was added to the Royal Palace. New defence towers were also built on the north side of the castle.

A large fire in 1541 destroyed large parts of the castle. Under the

Spanish Hall
, where his precious art collections were exhibited.

The

Rudolph II were looted by Swedes in 1648 during the Battle of Prague (1648) which was the final act of the Thirty Years' War
.

The last major rebuilding of the castle was carried out by

Empress Maria Theresa in the second half of the 18th century. Following the abdication of Ferdinand I, in 1848, and the succession of his nephew, Franz Joseph, to the throne, the former emperor, Ferdinand I
, made Prague Castle his home.

Presidential residence

Prague castle and the settlement beneath in 1918
Changing of the Guards

In 1918, the castle became the seat of the president of the new

St. Vitus Cathedral was finished on September 28, 1929. Renovations continued in 1936 under Plečnik's successor Pavel Janák
.

On March 15, 1939, shortly after

firstborn son, died the next year in a traffic accident, also in line with the legend.[9]

After the liberation of Czechoslovakia and the coup in 1948, the Castle housed the offices of the communist Czechoslovak government. After Czechoslovakia split in 1993 into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the castle became the seat of the Head of State of the new Czech Republic. Similar to what Masaryk did with Plečnik, president Václav Havel commissioned Bořek Šípek to be the architect of post-communist improvements for Prague Castle, in particular of the facelift of the castle's gallery of paintings.

Architectural styles of Prague Castle

Saint Vitus Cathedral
Main nave of the cathedral
Vladislav Hall

Prague Castle's architecture is a unique blend of styles from different periods, reflecting its long and complex history.

National Gallery collection of Bohemian baroque and mannerist art, exhibition dedicated to Czech history, Toy Museum and the picture gallery of Prague Castle, based on the collection of Rudolph II. The Summer Shakespeare Festival
regularly takes place in the courtyard of Burgrave Palace.

The neighborhood around Prague Castle is called Hradčany.

Churches

Basilica of St George
Czech Crown Jewels are the fourth oldest in Europe, shown here along with a globus cruciger
on the left
New Provost Residence

Palaces

Halls

  • Sloupová síň (Column Hall [cs])
  • Španělský sál (
    Spanish Hall
    )
  • Rudolfova galerie (Rudolph's Gallery)
  • Rothmayerův sál (Rothmayer's Hall)
  • Vladislavský sál (Vladislav Hall)

Towers

Other buildings

Gardens

Svatováclavská vinice (St. Wenceslas' Vineyard) on east

Structures

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ "Guinness Book of Records entry on Prague Castle". Guinness World Records. 21 July 2006. Archived from the original on 21 July 2006.
  2. ISBN 978-1-908843-63-0
    .
  3. ^ NIPOS: Základní statistické údaje o kultuře v České republice - I. díl - kulturní dědictví (muzea, galerie a památkové objekty)
  4. ^ Bocco, Diana (29 January 2017). "A Brief History of the Prague Castle". Culture Trip. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
  5. ISSN 1123-9883
    .
  6. ^ Klaus Fischer, Nazi Germany: A New History (New York: Continuum, 1995), p. 433.
  7. ^ Mirna Solic, The gate open to the Bohemian crown jewels at Radio Prague.
  8. ^ Gerald Reitlinger, The SS: Alibi of a Nation, 1922-1945 (Boston: Da Capo Press, 1989), p. 215.
  9. ^ "Lina Heydrich".
  10. ^ "Prague Castle Tickets". Retrieved 2023-09-21.

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prague Castle.

50°05.385′N 14°23.904′E / 50.089750°N 14.398400°E / 50.089750; 14.398400

KML file (edit • help)
w:cs:Šablona:Mapa souřadnic/Pražský hrad
KML is from Wikidata
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Prague_Castle&oldid=1213148958"