Prague Supplement - The Leading Sightseeing Areas & Main Attractions

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Image from Prague Information Service

The origins Prague castle can be traced back to 870 AD with the building of the Church of Our Lady. This was followed in the first part of the following century with the construction of the Basilica of Saint George and then the Basilica of St Vitus. A convent was attached to he former.

In the 12th century a Romanesque palace was added which was rebuilt in a gothic design by Charles 1V in the 14th century. The reconstruction saw the Basilica of St Vitus replaced with an imposing Gothic Church that took several centuries to complete. The walls surrounding the area were fortified in castle form.

In 1485 King Jagello rebuilt the castle and added the Vladislav Hall to the Royal Palace. In 1541 a fire devasted much of the castle. Many of the buildings were later rebulit in a renaissance style by the Habsburg rulers.

In the 17th century the castle fell victim to the serious damage during the Bohemian Revolt, the Thirty Years War and other battles. Many of its treaures were taken by Swedish forces. In the second half of the 18th century Queen Theresa had the castle and its buildings refurbished. For a while in the 19th century it was the home of King Ferdinand V following his abdication.

In 1918 with the formation of the Czechoslovak Republic it was designated as the official residence of the county's president. In the following two decades the Royal Palace was renovated.

In WW2 it was used primarily by Reinhard Heydrich of the the Third Reich as the his headquarters to govern the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia. Heydrich's rule was shortlived as was he was assassinated within a year of moving in. For many, this confirmed a local legend associated with castle that any pretender who puts he crown on his head would be destined to die within a year. During the post WW2 communist era Prague Castle was the seat of Comminist power in Czechoslovakia.

In 1989 when communism fell during the Velvet Revolution - the castle became a spontaneous symbol of the new Czech democracy. As thousands of liberated Czech celebrated in Wenceslas Square the former leader of the short lived 1968 'Prague Spring' Alexander Dubcek appeared on a balcony above the square. On seeing the man that Kremlin deposed the crown shouted '' Dubček to the castle!" Communism occupation was over.

Following the division of Czechoslovakia into the seperate Czech and Slovakia republics the castle was designated as the official seat of the Czech Republic's Head of State. The country first president Vaclav Havel then commisioned the architect Borek Sipek to renovate many of the Castles features to their original glory. He undoubted succeeded.

Official Prague Castle Website

Wenceslas Square is in the centre of Prague and one of the city's leading attractions. It's history dates back to the 13th century and is undoubtedly part of the 'Soul of Prague' and it is twice as wide as La Ramblas in Barcelona though not as long.

For the Czechs it existence has been a symbol of their various fights for their identity and freedom from tyranny. In August 1968 during the 'Prague Spring' it was reoccupied, by Russian controlled Warsaw Pacts troops and six months later the place where Jan Palach set himself on fire in protest.

Throughout the year there places for some of the best cappuccino's in Prague In December including the two stationary and rather 'twee' trams half way down on central island. The far end of the square is home to Christmas Markets. see below

There are decent several bars in the alleys on the right side. This end is served by metro services at 'The Museum Station'. It is also the site of a memorial to 'the victims of communism'

Son of a wealthy German speaking businessman the author Franz Kafka was born and educated in Prague. He lived at several addresses including 22 Golden Lane in the Lesser Town - in the shadows of Prague Castle which is thought to have inspired him to write 'The Castle'.

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