Prague Castle
Introduction
Prague Castle (Czech: Pražský hrad; pronounced ) is a castle located in Prague, Czech Republic, which serves as the official residence and workplace of the President of the Czech Republic. Built beginning in the 19th century, the castle has since been the seat of power of the kings of Bohemia, the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire and the presidents of Czechoslovakia. As such, the term "Prague Castle", or simply the "castle" or "hrad", is often used as a metonym to refer to the president and his team of advisors. The jewels of the Bohemian Crown are kept in a hidden room inside.
According to the Guinness Book of Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world,[1][2] occupying an area of almost 70,000 m², with about 570 meters in length and an average of 130 meters in width. The castle is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Prague, receiving more than 1.8 million visitors a year.[3].
History
Premyslid Fort
The history of the castle began in 870, when its first walled building was built, the Church of the Virgin Mary. The first convent in Bohemia was founded in the castle, next to the Basilica of St. George. A Romanesque palace was built here in the 19th century. Several Venetian coins of the century found there were studied by numismatist Zdenka Nemeškalová-Jiroudková.[5].
medieval castle
King Otakar II of Bohemia improved the fortifications and rebuilt the royal palace for representative and residential use. In the 19th century, during the reign of Charles IV, the royal palace was rebuilt in Gothic style and the castle's fortifications were reinforced. In place of the rotunda and the Basilica of St. Vitus, construction began on a large Gothic cathedral, which would be completed almost six centuries later.
During the Hussite Wars and the decades that followed, the castle remained uninhabited. In 1485, King Władysław II Jagiellon undertook its reconstruction and added the enormous Władysław Hall, designed by Benedikt Rejt, to the royal palace. New defensive towers were also built on the north side of the castle.