The capital of the Czech Republic is ready to present tourists with many attractions. This article is dedicated to only one of them - the Vysehrad castle complex in Prague. An inexperienced traveler might think that this is just a fortress in the defense walls of the city. But in fact Vysehrad is the ancient heart of Prague. According to legend, it was founded by Prince Krok in the X century. What do historians say about this? On the other side of the Vltava River, Prague Castle rises. The Slavs often practiced such a system of double fortifications. It is enough to recall Kiev Vyshgorod or Novgorod Rurikovo Gorodishche and Detinets. Two Kremlin seem to support each other and prevent a potential adversary from occupying strategic heights. Thus, Vysehrad is one of the first settlements on the Vltava, the nucleus from which Prague was later formed. So this castle complex is included in the must see list of the Czech capital.
Vysehrad in Prague: how to get there
This castle has long entered the city limits. Therefore, you can get to it by local transport, including the metro. If you decide to use the subway, you need to get off at Vysehrad station. Go to the castle and several tram routes. Choose any: 6th or 7th, 18th or 24th, 53rd and 55th. You need to get off at the stop Ostrcilovo namesti. Vysehrad in Prague on a city map is located south of the center. If you have visited the Charles Bridge and the adjacent attractions, and the time is not yet late, take the tram number 3 (at the stop "Ulitsa Vodichkova") and follow the direction "Nadrazi Branik" to the stop "Vyton". The road takes only eight minutes. Next you need to go under the railway bridge and follow right up to the Vysehrad sign. Note: the castle is located on a hill, so you have to overcome many steps.
Visegrad History
As already mentioned, two ancient settlements along the banks of the Vltava arose in the 10th century. From Vysehrad, the semi-legendary Princess Libus, daughter of Krok, predicted world fame and the heyday of Prague. In the XI century, this fortress was in its heyday. Vratislav II Przemyslovich in 1070 founded the chapter here, reporting directly to the Pope. In this Czech prince, the Romanesque basilica of saints Peter and Paul and the chapel of St. Martina. Gradually, the fort turned into the Kremlin, the royal castle of Vysehrad. Here the mint worked. Then came the time of Prague Castle. His once ally fell into desolation. But in the fourteenth century, fortune again smiled at Vysehrad. Charles IV, a descendant of the Przemyslovich family, built new fortifications in 1348, and built a beautiful and majestic Gothic temple on the site of the Romanesque basilica. He also connected the castle with the Prague Castle by the New Bridge. In the cathedral of Peter and Paul, relics of the Czech royal family were kept - shoes from the bast and sum of the founder of the Przemysl-Pahar dynasty. And each new ruler, before his inauguration, had to bow to these symbols of the proximity of their ancestor to the common people.
Oblivion
But after the death of Charles the Fourth, Prague Castle again took revenge. Kings, and with them the whole court, moved to the other side of the Vltava. The once brilliant palace gradually turned into a military fortress. Vysehrad was seriously damaged during the Hussite wars (circa 1420). In the XVII century, the fortress was rebuilt according to the canons of military fashion of that time. Vysehrad acquired powerful brick walls and baroque towers. There was an arsenal and powder depots. But in 1866 the fortress was closed. On this hill, it was decided to open the National Cemetery, where outstanding Czech writers, composers and scholars found last peace. And in 1893, the Pantheon Slavin was also erected. More than fifty celebrities rest in its walls.
Prague, Vysehrad: Attractions
Tourists leave a lot of enthusiastic reviews about this place. But they are all emotional and uninformative. Everyone agrees that it is from Vysehrad that panoramic photographs of Prague should be taken. Say, on the way to the castle you will find several viewing platforms decorated with ancient lanterns and balusters. But what else is Vysehrad famous for in Prague? What to see in it? Let's sort it out in order.
Climbing the hill, pay attention to the sculpture depicting St. Sebastian. A path leads you to the gate in the ramparts. Admission is paid: 30 CZK for an adult. Students are expected to receive a 50% discount, and children under 15 years can pass freely. Good to come here on the night of Ivan Kupala. They say that only then can you find the entrance to the treasury lurking in the bowels of the hill. But only the righteous can see the treasure.
Invisible church
You will look directly at her, and still not see. But in the fourteenth century, when on the outskirts of the castle with the name Vysehrad in Prague, the architects erected the Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist, they did not think to hide anything. All the blame lies with the later military architects. It was they who decided that the church is the “Achilles heel” in the fortifications of the fortress. Military strategists tried to hide her in powerful walls with loopholes. They redid the facade, removed the nave and the roof. In this truly unique sacred structure, only one church interior remained. You can enter the temple only from the side of the fortress.
Legends of Vysehrad
No tales tell about this castle! You will be shown a watchtower called the Libusa Bath. Say, the cruel princess washed herself in the presence of men, and then threw the unfortunate off a cliff. And in the park of deanery you will see a stone pillar split into three parts. Legend has it that it used to be a fragment of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Damn Zardan bet with a local priest (to the soul of the latter) that he could bring a pillar from the Vatican before the priest served the mass. Either the cleric said the prayers with a tongue twister, or something prevented the devil from the way, only he was late. In a rage, he threw a pillar on the roof of the cathedral and smashed it. And in the park, these three pieces were transferred already in the 18th century. And one more legend: Vysehrad in Prague keeps the relics of St. Valentine, the very one who patronizes all lovers.
Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul
The Romanesque church, built here in 1080, unfortunately, has not been preserved. At a time when Vysehrad in Prague began to play a dominant role, it was rebuilt according to the then fashionable Gothic style. Then, when the Hussite wars devastated the castle, the cathedral was dilapidated. It was decided to restore it in 1887, in the Neo-Gothic style. It is in this temple with two high towers in a stone sarcophagus that the relics of St. Valentine are stored. Scientists who examined the bones came to the conclusion that they did not belong to the ancient Roman warrior, but to the medieval representative of the Przemyslovich family. And around the cathedral there is a cemetery of Czech celebrities. Here lies the remains of Chapek, Sour Cream, Dvorak and others. You should also visit the Pantheon "Slavin", the ancient Romanesque rotunda of St. Martin and the baroque chapel of the Virgin Mary.
Museums and park
In the medieval fortress Vysehrad, reviews are advised to visit the Goticky sklep (Gothic basement). Entrance to it costs an additional thirty crowns. This museum tells the story of Vysehrad. Independent tourists are not allowed into the casemates under the fortress, but organized excursions set off to stone labyrinths every hour. Fans of the avant-garde can look into the Gallery of Modern Art. A break from going to museums and quietly digesting information is best in Vysehrad park. It is equipped with small benches, small fountains, statues. In the depths of the park, one should pay attention to the ruins of the chapel of St. Lawrence, destroyed by the Hussites.