The 18th-century facade of the Royal Palace is deceptive, for it conceals a multi-levelled network of halls and chambers belonging to earlier palaces, which provide a fascinating insight into life at the Bohemian court. To the left of the entrance is the Green Chamber, an audience hall from the time of Charles IV. A flight of steps lead to Vadislav’s Bedchamber. Vadislav is Vadislav Jagiello, who united Bohemia with the kingdoms of Poland and Hungary at the end of the 15th century.
His monogram (the letter W) can be seen above the window, opposite the Polish emblem of the eagle and crown. Note the fine Gothic vault. Return to the entrance and directly in front of you is the imposing Vadislav Hall, built by Benedikt Rieth between 1493 and 1502. This was the throne room where, traditionally, the kings of Bohemia received the oath of allegiance from their princely subjects. It was also a suitably splendid setting for coronation feasts, assemblies, even tournaments. Through the doorway to the right are the rooms of the Bohemian Chancellery. The first room contains a model of the castle as it was in the 18th century.
Passing through a Renaissance portal into the second room, you will note Czech visitors gathering around a window overlooking the gardens. It was from here, in May 1618, that two hated Catholic ministers and a clerk were hurled into the moat below. They survived but the incident, known as the ‘Second Defenestration of Prague’, sparked off a rising against the Habsburgs which led to the Thirty Years War. Above this room is the Hall of the Imperial Court Council containing portraits of the Habsburg rulers from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Access is via a spiral staircase. The steps at the far end of the Vladislav Hall lead to a gallery overlooking All Saints Chapel. Unfortunately, few traces of its 14th-century origins remain. A narrow passageway to the side of the chapel affords access to an observation terrace, from where there is a fine view of Prague.
The doorway opposite leads to the Diet Hall, originally part of Charles IV’s palace. Its present Renaissance appearance dates from 1559-63. More portraits of the Habsburgs adorn the walls. The Royal Throne is 19th century. Next to the Diet, the Riders’ Staircase, so called because it was designed especially to be used by knights on horseback entering the hall for tournaments, leads to the remains of the Gothic Palace (not always accessible). The main points of interest here are The Charles Hall, with its fine medieval vaulting and the Romanesque Princes Palace. The church with the orange baroque facade, overlooking Jifske namesti (St George’s Square) is the Bazilika svateho Jiri (Basilica of St George). The surprise here is the wonderfully preserved Romanesque interior, restored during renovation work between 1897 and 1907 and again 1959-62. It is the oldest church in the castle and the 12th century Basilica and the convent which adjoins it – actually the first in Bohemia – formed part of the original Hradaany. The perfect symmetry of the architecture is matched by the breathtaking ceiling paintings from the 13th century which adorn the apse. The Ludmilla Chapel is decorated with the work of Renaissance artists -also of very high quality. The chapel contains the tomb of St Ludmilla, one of theCzech Republic’s patron saints. There is no direct access but you can see into the chapel through a grille. Below the main altar is the crypt, not always open to visitors.