Rising above the village of Karlštejn, 30km southwest of Prague, medieval Karlštejn Castle (Hrad Karlštejn;www.hradkarlstejn.cz;) is in such good shape it wouldn’t look out of place on Disneyworld’s Main St. The crowds come in theme-park proportions as well, but the peaceful surrounding countryside offers views of Karlštejn’s stunning exterior that rival anything you’ll see on the inside.
The castle was born of a grand pedigree, originally conceived by Emperor Charles IV in the 14th century as a bastion for hiding the crown jewels. Run by an appointed burgrave, the castle was surrounded by a network of landowning knight-vassals, who came to the castle’s aid whenever enemies moved against it.
Karlštejn again sheltered the Bohemian and the Holy Roman Empire crown jewels during the Hussite Wars of the 15th century, but fell into disrepair as its defences became outmoded. Considerable restoration work in the late-19th century returned the castle to its former glory.
Castle visits are by guided tour only. Some tours must be reserved in advance by phone or via the castle website.
There are three tours available: Tour I (50 minutes) passes through the Knight’s Hall, still daubed with the coats-of-arms and names of the knight-vassals, Charles IV’s Bedchamber, the Audience Hall and the Jewel House, which includes treasures from the Chapel of the Holy Cross and a replica of the St Wenceslas Crown. Tour 2 (70 minutes, May to October only) takes in the the Marian Tower, with the Church of the Virgin Mary and the Chapel of St Catherine, then moves to the Great Tower for the castle's star attraction, the exquisite Chapel of the Holy Cross. Tour 3 (40 minutes, May to October only) visits the upper levels of the Great Tower, which provide stunning views over the surrounding countryside.
From Prague, there are frequent train departures daily from Prague’s main station, hlavní nádraží. The journey takes 40 minutes and costs around 50Kč each way.
The castle was born of a grand pedigree, originally conceived by Emperor Charles IV in the 14th century as a bastion for hiding the crown jewels. Run by an appointed burgrave, the castle was surrounded by a network of landowning knight-vassals, who came to the castle’s aid whenever enemies moved against it.
Karlštejn again sheltered the Bohemian and the Holy Roman Empire crown jewels during the Hussite Wars of the 15th century, but fell into disrepair as its defences became outmoded. Considerable restoration work in the late-19th century returned the castle to its former glory.
Castle visits are by guided tour only. Some tours must be reserved in advance by phone or via the castle website.
There are three tours available: Tour I (50 minutes) passes through the Knight’s Hall, still daubed with the coats-of-arms and names of the knight-vassals, Charles IV’s Bedchamber, the Audience Hall and the Jewel House, which includes treasures from the Chapel of the Holy Cross and a replica of the St Wenceslas Crown. Tour 2 (70 minutes, May to October only) takes in the the Marian Tower, with the Church of the Virgin Mary and the Chapel of St Catherine, then moves to the Great Tower for the castle's star attraction, the exquisite Chapel of the Holy Cross. Tour 3 (40 minutes, May to October only) visits the upper levels of the Great Tower, which provide stunning views over the surrounding countryside.
From Prague, there are frequent train departures daily from Prague’s main station, hlavní nádraží. The journey takes 40 minutes and costs around 50Kč each way.
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