High Gothic castle founded in 1348 is one of the most famous castles in Czech Republic. It was build by Bohemian King and Roman Emperor Charles IV. as a place for safekeeping of the royal treasures. Especially Charles’s collection of holy relics and the coronation jewels of the Roman Empire. Him personally supervised the construction works and the decoration of interiors. For the remaining construction Charles hired Palestinian worklabour and was finished in 1365 when the treasury – Chapel of the Holy Cross situated in the Great Tower was consecrated.
Individual buildings of the castle are situated at different height levels expressing their importance. Dominating on the hilltop is the 60 meters high and separately fortified Great tower built upon massive walls that houses the chapel of the Holy Cross. From there one can step down to the Marian tower, the five-storied Imperial palace and come to the Well tower and Burgrave’s palace located at the lowest level.
After 1480 the late Gothic style reconstruction has been made, renaissance style in the 16th century, and finally a neo-Gothic reconstruction, that was carried out by Josef Mocker between 1887 and 1899, giving the castle its present look.
