Prague Castle

Good King Wenceslas. The story behind the legend.

The magnificent St. Vitus Cathedral holds one of the most important places in Czech history: the Chapel of St. Wenceslas.

Wenceslas was a tenth-century Bohemian duke, not a king in his lifetime. Yet centuries later, his reputation for generosity inspired the familiar Christmas carol Good King Wenceslas.

In the chapel dedicated to him, precious stones, medieval paintings and remarkable architectural details surround the saint's tomb.

Discover the real history behind a name known far beyond Prague.

A familiar legend. A remarkable place to discover.

Knights on horseback. Inside a royal palace.

Today, Vladislav Hall is associated with the most important ceremonies of the Czech state. Centuries ago, it witnessed a rather different spectacle.

Knights and their horses could enter the vast vaulted hall by a specially designed riders' staircase. The hall also hosted prestigious gatherings and, during the reign of Rudolf II, markets selling luxury goods.

Nearby, the dramatic Prague Defenestration of 1618 helped trigger the conflict that became the Thirty Years' War.

The Old Royal Palace is full of moments when European history changed direction.

Stand where history actually happened.

A mysterious stone figure beneath St. George's Basilica.

Behind the basilica's Baroque façade lies one of Prague Castle's most impressive Romanesque interiors.

Deep below the church, a haunting stone figure evokes the fragility of human life. A dark local legend grew around it, although the sculpture is best understood as an allegory of mortality.

The basilica is also closely associated with St. Ludmila, grandmother of St. Wenceslas and an important figure in the beginnings of Czech Christianity.

Some of the Castle's most extraordinary stories lie below ground.

Golden Lane: Franz Kafka, fairy-tale colours and a surprise.

Small houses, tiny windows and brightly painted façades make Golden Lane one of the most photographed corners of Prague Castle.

But the colours that give the lane its fairy-tale appearance are much younger than the buildings themselves. The celebrated Czech artist Jiří Trnka helped shape their appearance in the twentieth century.

The lane was once home to castle guards and craftsmen. Much later, Franz Kafka worked in house number 22, adding another chapter to its extraordinary history.

Discover the stories behind the colourful façades.