Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Battling Titans
These stone giants
have dominated the First
Courtyard since Empress
Maria Theresa asked
Ignatz Platzer to sculpt
them in the 18th century.
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Plan of
Prague
Castle
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Golden Lane
The colourful hovels
(below)
built into the
castle wall were home to
goldsmiths so they could
avoid guild dues in town.
St George's Convent
Princess Mlada established the first
Czech convent here in the 10th century.
The Romanesque building now houses
artworks from the National Gallery.
Daliborka
Dalibor, something of
a Czech Robin Hood, was
captured and became the
first prisoner of the
tower that now takes his
name
(below)
.
St George's
Basilica
Prince Vratislav built the
basilica in AD 921. The
chapel of St Wenceslas's
grandmother, St Ludmila,
is decorated with
beautiful 16th-century
paintings
(below)
.
White Tower
The White Tower
contains a torture cham-
ber and, today, shops
selling grisly souvenirs.
The gangways from which
archers once watched
over the moat are lined
with replicas of weapons.
Castle Guide
You can wander through
much of the castle
complex for free, but to
see the interiors, you
must buy a ticket at the
tourist office in the third
courtyard. One admis-
sion fee gains access to
St Vitus, the Old Royal
Palace, St George's
convent and basilica and
the Powder Tower. A
separate fee admits you
to Golden Lane.
Powder Tower
This was Rudolf II's
top research facility,
where alchemists sought
the Philosopher's Stone.
Oddly, the Czech name
“mihulka”
implies a
place where lampreys
are kept.
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