What You Will Actually See
A thousand years above the Vltava
Prague Castle was founded in the 9th century and has been the seat of Bohemian kings, Holy Roman emperors and, today, the President of the Czech Republic. It is less a single building than a walled town of palaces, churches and lanes along the ridge above the Vltava, the river crossed by the Charles Bridge.
What you will see inside
St. Vitus Cathedral dominates the castle: a Gothic cathedral built over almost six centuries, with an Art Nouveau window by Alfons Mucha and the tomb of St. Wenceslas. The Old Royal Palace holds the vast Vladislav Hall; the Basilica of St. George is the oldest surviving church in the castle; and the small, colourful houses of Golden Lane once housed castle staff and, briefly, Franz Kafka.
What most visitors miss
The castle gardens, on the slopes below the walls, offer some of the best views over the red roofs of Malá Strana. The courtyards and the entrance area of St. Vitus Cathedral can be seen without a ticket, so even a short visit is worthwhile.
