Prague Castle, Prague: Explore the Ancient Complex

The construction of Prague Castle commenced in 870, with the initial walled structure being the Church of the Virgin Mary.

Under the rule of Vratislaus I, Duke of Bohemia, and his son Wenceslaus I, the Basilica of Saint George and the Basilica of St. Vitus were founded in the first half of the 10th century.

A Romanesque palace was constructed within the castle complex during the 12th century.

King Ottokar II of Bohemia enhanced the castle's fortifications and rebuilt the royal palace to serve representation and housing purposes.

Under Charles IV, the royal palace was rebuilt in the Gothic style, and the castle fortifications were strengthened, alongside the commencement of a vast Gothic church, St. Vitus.

King Vladislaus II Jagiellon initiated a rebuilding of the castle in 1485, which included the addition of the Vladislav Hall by Benedikt Rejt and new defensive towers.

A significant fire in 1541 resulted in the destruction of substantial portions of the Prague Castle complex.

Following the 1541 fire, new buildings in the Renaissance style were added under the Habsburg rule, including the Belvedere summer palace.

Emperor Rudolph II established the northern wing of the palace, including the Spanish Hall, to house his art collections.

The Third Defenestration of Prague occurred at the castle in 1618, initiating the Bohemian Revolt and leading to subsequent damage during the ensuing wars.

During the Thirty Years' War, Swedish forces looted many works from Rudolph II's collection in 1648, marking the final act of the war.

The last major rebuilding of Prague Castle was undertaken by Empress Maria Theresa in the latter half of the 18th century.

Following his abdication in 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I made Prague Castle his residence.

In 1918, Prague Castle transitioned to become the official seat of the president of the newly formed Czechoslovak Republic, with Tomáš Masaryk as the first president.

Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik undertook renovations of the New Royal Palace and gardens in the early 20th century.

The St. Vitus Cathedral, whose construction began in the 14th century, was finally completed on September 28, 1929.

Renovations at Prague Castle continued in 1936 under the architect Pavel Janák, following Jože Plečnik's work.

Adolf Hitler stayed overnight in Prague Castle on March 15, 1939, after President Emil Hácha ceded the nation to Nazi Germany.

During the Nazi occupation in World War II, Prague Castle served as the headquarters for Reinhard Heydrich, the Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia.

Following the 1948 Czechoslovak coup d'état, Prague Castle became the administrative center for the communist government.

After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, Prague Castle was established as the seat of the Head of State for the new Czech Republic.

President Václav Havel commissioned Bořek Šípek to design post-communist improvements, notably the facelift of the castle's gallery of paintings.

Prague Castle is recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the largest ancient castle complex in the world, covering an area of nearly 70,000 square meters.

The terms "Prague Castle" or "Hrad" are often used as metonyms to refer to the president of the Czech Republic and their staff.

The architecture of Prague Castle is a blend of styles from across the last millennium, including Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque, and Mannerism.

The Bohemian Crown Jewels are securely kept inside a hidden room within Prague Castle.