Prague Castle

The start

The first walled building went up in 870

The history of the castle began in 870 when its first walled building, the Church of the Virgin Mary, was built. The Basilica of Saint George and the Basilica of St. Vitus were founded in the first half of the 10th century.

The size

Prague Castle is recorded as the largest ancient castle in the world

According to the Guinness Book of Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world. It occupies an area of almost 70,000 square metres, about 570 metres in length and an average of about 130 metres wide.

70,000square metres, the area the castle occupies

Fire and art

A fire in 1541 wrecked the castle, and Rudolph II later moved in

A large fire in 1541 destroyed large parts of the castle. Under the Habsburgs some new buildings in Renaissance style were added. Rudolph II used Prague Castle as his main residence and founded the northern wing, with the Spanish Hall, where his art collections were exhibited.

The window

The Third Defenestration of Prague in 1618 began a revolt

The Third Defenestration of Prague in 1618 took place at the castle and kick-started the Bohemian Revolt. In 1648 Swedes looted many works from the collection of Rudolph II, in the final act of the Thirty Years' War.

The cathedral

St. Vitus Cathedral was finished in 1929, almost six centuries later

In the 14th century, under Charles IV, building began on a vast Gothic church in place of the rotunda and basilica of St. Vitus. It was completed almost six centuries later. The cathedral was finished on 28 September 1929.