Visit Prague Castle

Founded around 880 AD, Prague Castle has been the seat of Bohemian kings, Holy Roman Emperors and Czech presidents continuously for over 1,100 years. At 70,000 square metres it is the largest ancient castle complex anywhere in the world — and one of the more sensibly designed historic sites in Europe to visit.

Plan your visit in 60 seconds

• Cost: Free to walk the grounds; ~250 CZK for the Circuit B interiors ticket.
• Time: 3 hours minimum for a focused visit; half a day to do it properly.
• When: Arrive at 09:00, or after 16:00 in summer. Avoid 11:00–14:00.
• Get there: Tram 22 to Pražský hrad, or walk up Nerudova.
• Don't: Try to "do" every circuit. Pick one and look properly.

Tickets compared

The castle administration offers several ticket "circuits". Most visitors should buy Circuit B; specialists may want A.

Children under 6 are free; students and seniors get reduced rates. Tickets are valid for two consecutive days, which is genuinely useful if you want to split the visit.

What to actually look at

St. Vitus Cathedral

The construction of St. Vitus took 600 years (1344–1929), so the building is an architectural lesson in itself — High Gothic at the east end, Renaissance and Baroque interventions in the middle, neo-Gothic completion of the western nave. Inside, head straight for:

• The Mucha window — Alfons Mucha's Art Nouveau stained-glass masterpiece in the third bay on the north side. Glow at any time of day, but luminous in morning light.
• The Chapel of St. Wenceslas — the small chapel housing the tomb of the Czech patron saint, with semi-precious stones embedded in the walls. The crown jewels of the Bohemian kingdom are kept in a sealed chamber above (open to the public only every few years).
• The royal crypt — beneath the chancel, holds the remains of Charles IV and other Bohemian kings.
• The Tomb of St. John of Nepomuk — two tonnes of silver, 1736, with a flying angel above.

The Old Royal Palace

The first court of Bohemian kings, with a striking late-Gothic Vladislav Hall — the largest secular Gothic space in central Europe, vast enough to hold indoor jousting tournaments. Adjacent is the Bohemian Chancellery, where the Second Defenestration of Prague took place in 1618 — three Catholic officials thrown from a window into a moat by Protestant noblemen, sparking the Thirty Years' War. The window in question is, helpfully, signposted.

The Golden Lane

A row of brightly painted cottages tucked against the castle's northern wall. Built in the 16th century as housing for the castle marksmen and goldsmiths, later inhabited by writers and artists — Franz Kafka briefly lived in No. 22. Today the houses operate as small shops and historical exhibits. The whole lane takes about 20 minutes.

The Basilica of St. George

The Romanesque basilica behind the cathedral is the oldest surviving church inside the castle (920 AD). Quiet, sparse, beautifully proportioned — a useful counterweight to the visual richness of St. Vitus.

The Gardens

Free to enter, often forgotten. The Royal Garden (north of the castle) has the Belvedere summer palace; the South Gardens behind the Old Royal Palace have the best panoramic view of Prague below. The Deer Moat between them is a wooded ravine that feels like accidentally stumbling into countryside.

The smartest order

Most visitors do this in the wrong sequence and end up exhausted before they reach the best bits. The order that works:

1. Arrive 09:00 at the second courtyard. Pick up tickets if not pre-booked.
2. St. Vitus Cathedral first, while the crowds are still small.
3. Old Royal Palace next.
4. Basilica of St. George.
5. Golden Lane.
6. South Gardens — long view, coffee break, breathe.
7. Walk out via Hradčanské náměstí.

Practical notes

• Opening hours: Castle complex grounds 06:00–22:00 (winter); 06:00–22:00 (summer). Interiors 09:00–17:00 (summer 09:00–17:00).
• Security check: Bag screening at most entrances. Backpacks fine; no large luggage.
• Photography: Allowed throughout the complex; flash banned inside the cathedral.
• Cathedral mass: The cathedral closes to visitors during services. Sunday mornings until ~12:00 are tightest.
• Toilets: Inside the ticket office buildings; the queue is shortest at the southern entry.
• Food: Two cafés inside; the Lobkowicz Palace café and the U Černého Vola pub just outside the castle gates are better.

Frequently Asked Questions