Prague Castle
The Guinness-record largest ancient castle on Earth — and the Czech president still works inside it.
Coming soon on iOS — be first to walk Prague offline.
At 570 metres long and nearly 70,000 square metres, this hilltop complex has been the seat of Bohemian kings, Holy Roman emperors, and Czechoslovak presidents since the 9th century. The Bohemian Crown Jewels are locked inside a room somewhere within — and the whole thing drew 2.59 million visitors in 2024, making it the most-visited site in the country.
What to look for
- The Basilica of Saint George, one of the oldest structures on the grounds, founded in the first half of the 10th century under Vratislaus I and his son Wenceslaus I
- Vladislav Hall in the Royal Palace, added by architect Benedikt Rejt for King Vladislaus II Jagiellon after 1485
- The Gothic cathedral that replaced the earlier rotunda and basilica of St. Vitus — building began in the 14th century under Charles IV and took nearly six centuries to complete
The complex is 570 metres end to end; with 2.59 million annual visitors, an early-morning start beats the worst of the crowds and gives you room to move.
Prague Castle is one of 36 sights worth the detour in Prague, all bundled offline in Voyage GO — download the Prague pack and it sits on your map with no signal, filling your travel passport the moment you walk past.
More to see in Prague
- Charles BridgeCzech legend holds that Charles IV chose his construction start time — 5:31am on 9 July 1357 — because the digits form a palindrome he believed would imbue the bridge with additional strength.
- St. Vitus CathedralOne theory holds that the founding duke may have chosen St. Vitus partly because his name echoes a Slavic sun god — making conversion easier for a populace already devoted to the solar deity Svantevit. Christian and pagan communities shared this hilltop until at least the 11th century.
- Dancing HouseTwo interlocked towers shaped like mid-dance partners, built on a Vltava riverfront plot that sat bombed-out and derelict for decades.
- Prague Astronomical ClockEvery hour, a skeleton marks the time — on a clock mechanism that has been running since 1410.
- National Museum in PragueThe building that closes off Wenceslas Square has anchored Czech protests, rallies, and public life since 1891.
- Wenceslas SquareWhere horse traders once haggled, Czechs have gathered for revolutions and rallies — and still do, in the country's busiest pedestrian square.