The very new exhibition is set in the beautiful vaulted halls of the Old Royal Palace. It recounts the story of the site, of its first prehistoric population all the way to today’s presidential residence. The exhibition is structured around two interrelated circuits: the chronological tour explains the development of the site along the very eventful history of Bohemia, and the themed tour brings light on many topics (the crowning of kings, the stages of the building of the St Vitus Cathedral, the patron saints of Bohemia, the royal residences…).
Remarkable relief maps enable to follow step by step the building of the castle and of the cathedral, and interactive terminals placed in each room give the opportunity to understand even better some of the raised topics.
Sculpture aficionados can admire several original first-class works: the Crowning of the Virgin, a Romanesque piece which used to adorn one of the tympana of the St George Basilica; the recumbent statue of king Ottokar II, probably created by Peter Parler himself; and two quite different sculptures of St George slaying the dragon, one of them is a Gothic bronze statue of Italian inspiration, the other one is a limestone bas-relief, a magnificent example of Renaissance statuary from the early 16th century.
After this helpful introduction, your visit of the castle will be even more pleasant: the Romanesque St George Church and its convent, the Old Royal Palace and its impressive Vladislas Hall, the St Vitus Cathedral, the 18th century façades by Pacassi, the 20th century furbishing by the architect Plečnik in the various courtyards and gardens of the castle…
Permanent exhibition “Příběh pražského hradu” – Story of the Prague Castle
Prague Castle, Old Royal Palace (entrance from the 3rd courtyard).
www.pribeh-hradu.cz
How to get there:
Tram 22, stop “Pražský Hrad”
Opening hours: every day all year long (except on October 28th and on December 24th)
April to October: from 9am to 4pm
November to March: from 9 am to 6pm
