Prague Castle
History
After the liberation of Czechoslovakia, it housed the offices of the communist Czechoslovak government. During the Velvet Revolution, Alexander Dubček, the leader of Czechoslovakia during the Prague Spring, appeared on a balcony overlooking Wenceslas Square to hear throngs of protesters below shouting "Dubček to the castle!" As they pushed for him to take his seat as president of the country at Prague Castle, he embraced the crowd as a symbol of democratic freedom.
After Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the castle became the seat of the Head of State of the new Czech Republic. Similar to what Masaryk did with Plečnik, president Václav Havel commissionned Bořek Šípek to be the architect of post-communism Prague Castle's necessary improvements in particular of the facelift of the Castle's Gallery of paintings.
The history of the castle stretches back to the 9th century (870). The first walled building was the church of Our Lady. The Basilica of Saint George and the Basilica of St. Vitus were founded in the first half of the 10th century. The first convent in Bohemia was founded in the castle, next to the church of St. George. A Romanesque palace was erected here during the 12th century. In the 14th century, under the reign of Charles IV the royal palace was rebuilt in Gothic style and the castle fortifications were strengthened. In place of a rotunda the basilica of St. Vitus began building a vast Gothic church, that has been completed almost six centuries later. During the Hussite Wars and the following decades the Castle was not inhabited. In 1485 King Ladislaus II Jagello begins to rebuild the castle. The massive Vladislav Hall (built by Benedikt Rejt) was added to the Royal Palace. Then were also built new defense towers on the northern side of the castle. A big fire of 1541 destroyed large parts of the castle. Under Habsburgs some new buildings in renaissance style appeared here. Ferdinand I built Belvedere, a summer palace for his wife Anne. Rudolph II used Prague Castle as his main residence. He founded the northern wing of the palace, with the Spanish Hall, where his precious artistic collections were exhibited. Second Prague defenestration in 1618 began the Bohemian Revolt. During the subsequent wars the Castle was damaged and dilapidated. Many works from the collection of Rudolph II were looted by Swedes in 1648, in the course of the Thirty Years' War. The last major rebuilding of the castle was carried out by Queen Maria Theresa in the second half of the 18th century. Ferdinand V after abdication in 1848 chose Prague Castle as his home.
In 1918 the castle became the seat of the president of the new Czechoslovak Republic. The New Royal Palace and the gardens were renovated by Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik. Renovations continued in 1936 under Plečnik's successor Pavel Janák.
During the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia during World War II, Prague Castle became the headquarters of Reinhard Heydrich, the "Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia". It is said that he placed the Bohemian crown on his head; old legends say that a usurper who places the crown on his head is doomed to die within a year. Less than a year after assuming power, Heydrich was assassinated.
Architectural styles of Prague Castle
The castle buildings represent virtually every architectural style of the last millennium. The Prague Castle includes gothic St Vitus Cathedral, Romanesque Basilica of St. George, a monastery and several palaces, gardens and defense towers. Most of the castle areas are open to tourists. Nowadays, the castle houses several museums, including the National Gallery collection of Bohemian baroque and mannerism art, exhibition dedicated to Czech history, Toy Museum and the picture gallery of Prague Castle, based on the collection of Rudolph II. The Summer Shakespeare Festival regularly takes place in the courtyard of Burgrave Palace.
The neighbourhood around the Prague Castle is called Hradčany.
]Churches
- Katedrála svatého Víta, Václava a Vojtěcha (St. Vitus Cathedral)
- Bazilika svatého Jiří (St. George's Basilica, Prague) and Klášter svatého Jiří (St. George's Convent, Prague)
[edit]Palaces
- Starý královský palác (Old Royal Palace)
- Letohrádek královny Anny (Belvedere or Royal Summer Palace)
- Lobkovický palác (Lobkovicz Palace)
- Nový královský palác (New Royal Palace)
[edit]Halls
- Sloupová síň (Column Hall)
- Španělský sál (Spanish Hall) and Rudolfova galerie (Rudolph's Gallery)
- Vladislavský sál (Vladislav Hall)
- Císařská konírna (Imperial Stables)
[edit]Other Buildings
- Daliborka (Dalibor Tower)
- Prašná věž or Mihulka (Powder Tower or Mihulka)
- Zlatá ulička (Golden Lane)
- Purkrabství (Supreme Burgrave's House)
- Míčovna (Ball Game Hall)
- Jízdárna Pražského hradu (Riding School)
- Staré proboštství (Old Provost Residence)
- New Provost Residence
Gardens
- Královská zahrada (Royal Garden)
- Zahrada Na terase Jízdárny (Riding School Terrace Garden)
- Zahrada Na Baště (The Garden on the Bastion)
- Jižní zahrady (South Gardens)
- Rajská zahrada (Paradise Garden)
- Zahrada Na Valech (Garden on the Ramparts)
- Hartigovská zahrada (The Hartig Garden)
- Jelení příkop (Deer Moat)
Crown Jewels
Prague Castle, as well as its protected area which also includes archaeological findings, are recognized parts No. 1 of the Czech cultural heritage. The Czech Crown Jewels rank second to this national bequest. The Crown Jewels are permanently safely kept in Prague Castle and may be displayed exclusively in its area. But this occurs only on quite exceptional occasions. In the twentieth century there were nine such moments in history; the last time this happened was in 1998 to mark the 80th anniversary of the establishment of an independent Czechoslovak Republic. The President of the Republic has the exclusive right to decide on the display of the Crown Jewels.
The Crown Jewels chamber in St. Vitus Cathedral, where the Crown Jewels of Czech kings are, is under lock and key, and without exaggerating it is the place least accessible in Prague Castle. The door, and likewise the iron safe, has seven locks and there are seven holders of the keys: the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Prague Archbishop, the Chairman of the House of Deputies, the Chairman of the Senate, the Dean of the Metropolitan Chapter of St. Vitus Cathedral and the Lord Mayor of Prague, who must all convene to facilitate opening the impenetrable door and coffer.
The tradition of the seven keys was established in 1791 by King Leopold II when he agreed to comply with the wish of the Czech Estates to return the jewels to Prague from Vienna. They were put in safe in St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle, this time in the crown archives beyond the St. Wenceslas Chapel behind iron bars with five locks. They were placed in a special chest with additional two locks whose two keys were given to two guards of the jewels. Even though the jewels were later moved to another location, the tradition of the seven keys has been maintained.
The value of the Czech Crown Jewels can in no way be expressed in terms of money. Apart from possessing priceless historic value they have also become a rare symbol of Czech statehood.
The set of Crown Jewels consists of the Charles IV St. Wenceslas Crown including a casket and cushion, the Royal Sceptre and its casket, the Royal Apple and its casket, the Coronation Cloak and other pieces of attire: a belt, a maniple (an ornamental band worn on the left arm by the celebrant of the Eucharist), a stole and ermine collar. In the Middle Ages the items also included a ring, golden bracelets and a crystal vessel for holy oil.
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