Posted by Prague Castle is the most visited tourist attraction in the Czech Republic and the entrance fee is charged. A visit to the largest castle in the world is so popular that every morning in summer there are long queues in front of the entrance. Prague Castle is situated on a small hill on the Old Town opposite the Vltava River. The entire castle complex is almost 50 hectares in size. Admission to Prague Castle is quite expensive.
>>> On this link you will find the admission tickets for Prague Castles
The kings of Bohemia used to live in the castle. Today the Prague Castle is the seat of the President of the Czech Republic. However, he only uses a small part of the huge complex. Large parts of the castle are open to tourists.
Our tip: Online tickets and guided tours Prague CastleAt Prague Castle you often have to wait in queues for a long time. However, there is a good and simple way to avoid the long waiting times at the castle ticket office: you buy your tickets in advance online on the Internet. These are available on the popular website Getyourguide. ====>>>>> More information and online-tickets for Prague Castle: Click here ====>>>>> Very good guided tours Prague Castle in English: Click here |
What can be seen in Prague Castle?
Many tourists come up to the castle on foot. You walk from the old town over the famous Charles Bridge through the Prague Lesser Town district (Mala Strana). From the street Thunovska there is a stairway. There are a few hundred steps up to the entrance to the Prague Castle, a sweaty affair especially on hot summer days.
Important note: With the great Prague Card you can visit Prague Castle free of charge: More Information
If you come on a summer day in the late morning or early afternoon, you are already at the end of the stairs the long queues of tourists who want to enter the castle.
You can see the historical guards in front of the castle without paying the entrance fee. With a bit of luck you will see a changing of the guards. You can also visit large parts of the castle grounds without paying admission. But all big sights cost admission (like the famous Golden Lane, the churches and museums). There are different entrance tickets (see below).
The following sights are the highlights of Prague Castle
– St Vitus Cathedral in Prague, one of the most important churches in the Czech Republic. The Gothic building was the coronation church of the Kings of Bohemia. The tomb of the kings in St Vitus Cathedral is also interesting. Many Czechs come to St Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle to visit the famous tomb of the national hero Wenceslas of Bohemia. —>>> More information about St Vitus Cathedral
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– the royal palace and some very splendid rooms, especially the Wladislaw hall is to be emphasized
– The castle gallery with many world-famous pictures is another important sight in Prague Castle. In the 16th century the gallery was one of the largest art collections in Europe. Many of the artworks are no longer in Prague, but there is still much to see, including paintings by Titzian and Rubens.
– Saint George Basilica, another church within the castle, which is over 1000 years old (10th century). The church is considered to be the oldest church in the Czech Republic.
– Many tourists especially like the Golden Lane Prague, a small lane within the castle complex. It is also called the Alchemist’s Lane. In the past, people here wanted to produce gold with a Philosopher’s Stone. A Philosopher’s Stone is historically an object that can be used to transform simple metals into precious metals such as gold. Of course there is no such thing. The Golden Lane was also for a short time the residence of the most famous writer of Prague Franz Kafka (house number 22). Because of its popularity we have published some information about the Golden Lane (click here).
– The wall, fortifications, armour, garden and towers of Prague Castle are other interesting sights.
– The Daliborka Prison in an old tower
Prague Castle Admission
Important note: With the Prague Card you can visit Prague Castle free of charge: More Information
There are different tickets. Many tourists buy the ticket A. This ticket for the Prague Castle includes the two churches St Vitus and George Basilica, the Royal Palace, the Golden Lane, the Rosenberg Palace, Daliborka Tower and much more. Such a ticket costs 350 crowns for adults, about 13.50 euros. By Czech standards, this is quite a lot. Children, students and seniors pay half the price (150 crowns). Parents with children only have to pay for the two adults (700 crowns, about 27 euros, maximum 5 children). All prices are from January 2020. Admission to Prague Castle is free for children under the age of 6. Disabled persons with a so-called ZTP card can also enter Prague Castle without an entrance fee.
Ticket B includes only the most important buildings and the Golden Lane Prague (250 crowns, i.e. almost 10 euros), about 5 euros with discount see above, families 20 euros).
Unfortunately, the painting gallery costs extra. These and another museum are combined in the ticket C. You pay again as much as for ticket A (350 Czech crowns for adults etc., see above).
Important note: With the Prague Card you can visit Prague Castle free of charge: More Information
Our tip: Online tickets and guided tours Prague CastleAt Prague Castle you often have to wait in queues for a long time. However, there is a good and simple way to avoid the long waiting times at the castle ticket office: you buy your tickets in advance online on the Internet. These are available on the popular website Getyourguide. =====>>>>> More information and online-tickets for Prague Castle: Click here =====>>>>> Very good guided tours Prague Castle in English: Click here |
Opening hours of the Prague Castle
Prague Castle has long opening hours and is open every day of the week (no rest day). In general, the castle complex is open from 6 am to 10 pm. However, many buildings can only be visited daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in winter only until 4 p.m..
You should arrive as early as possible, in summer or on weekends preferably before 9 am. Otherwise there is a risk of long waiting times. When we arrived on a Tuesday in June 2019 around 11 o’clock, the queue was several hundred meters long, the waiting time at the entrance at least one hour.
Important: There are long queues at the security check (scanning with metal detector and opening the bags and backpacks). Waiting times at the ticket office are much longer. Many visitors to Prague Castle buy online tickets in advance on the Internet. A good English-language website that offers tickets for Prague Castle is Getyourguide.
Approach Prague Castle
Parking in the area is not easy. We recommend all visitors to Prague Castle to use public transport.
The best subway station is Malostranka (line A).
If you are travelling by tram, you can either continue one stop further or get off one stop earlier from the other direction (Malostranske Namesti stop). Many tram lines stop here. These are the tram lines: 7, 11, 12, 15, 20, 22, 23, 41 and 97.
On foot you could reach the castle from Prague also from the city centre in less than half an hour on foot. You simply crosses the famous Charles Bridge. You can already see the castle on the hill from the bridge. It goes partly steeply uphill (exhausting).
If you cannot or do not want to go up the stairs to the castle, you can also take the tram lines 22, 23 or 41 from the city centre behind (above) the castle. (stop Prazsky Hrad). But most of the time you have to change trains.
More pages about Prague Castle in this internet travel guide
St Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle: Click here
The famous Golden Lane: Click here
Famous Daliborka prison tower: Click here
Prague Castle Top 10
Here are the top 10 sights and experiences in and around Prague Castle (Pražský hrad), one of the most important landmarks in the Czech Republic.
St. Vitus Cathedral (Katedrála svatého Víta)
The imposing Gothic cathedral is the centerpiece of Prague Castle. It is famous for its magnificent stained glass windows, the crown chamber and the tower, from which you have a magnificent view of Prague.
Old Royal Palace (Starý královský palác)
The former residence of the Bohemian kings impresses with the Vladislav Hall, which was used for knights’ tournaments.
Golden Lane (Zlatá ulička)
A charming, narrow street with colorful houses. Castle guards and craftsmen used to live here, today there are souvenir stores and exhibitions.
St. George’s Basilica (Bazilika svatého Jiří)
One of the oldest churches in Prague with Romanesque architecture and impressive frescoes.
The Castle Garden (Královská zahrada)
An idyllic Renaissance garden with fountains and a great view of the city.
Toy Museum Prague Castle
Especially interesting for families: an exhibition of toys from different eras.
Daliborka Tower
A former prison with a dark history, named after the first prisoner Dalibor.
Lion Yard (Jelení příkop)
A large moat that was once used for defense. Today it is a quiet place for a walk.
Sternberg Palace (Šternberský palác)
Part of the National Gallery with impressive collections of European art, including works by Rubens and Rembrandt.
The Prague castle by night
A walk around the castle grounds after dark offers a magical atmosphere with illuminated buildings and fewer tourists.
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