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FEATURE
STORY • NIGHTLIFE
• ART+CULTURE • FOOD+DRINK
• TRAVEL
• STYLE Karlštejn
Castle
The upper castle complex consists of three buildings; the Imperial Palace, the Great Tower and, unusually for Central European castles, a smaller second tower. To facilitate the castle's defense, each of these buildings was situated at a different elevation. The Great Tower, with its six-meter thick walls, occupies the highest point in the complex. The three floors of the Imperial Palace were the residence of the King, the Queen and their retainers during their visits to the castle. The first floor is memorable for the Vassal's hall, which was occupied by the castle's Knights. The great wooden wardrobes that once held their weapons can be seen along the walls, decorated with the coats of arms of their houses. Upstairs on the second floor, the Emperor's private apartments can be visited; their sparse furnishings accurately depict the furnishings of the medieval period. On the same floor, the Forebears Hall houses the largest existing collection of portraits of Czech rulers. The third floor of the palace is not part of the public tour, but it was home to the Queen(s) - King Charles IV had four wives, three of whom died young - and their courts. Marian Tower is the smaller of the two towers and it was the home of Charles IV's private treasury. A replica of the 2 kilogram, bejeweled crown of the Bohemian Kings is on display here (the original is stored in Prague Castle) along with holy relics such as a crocodile's skull that was once believed to be the head of the dragon slain by Saint George. The Great Tower is situated at the highest point of the castle and it overlooks the access road that leads up from the village. The Chapel of the Holy Cross - the golden treasure of Karlštejn Castle - is located on its second floor. The lower portion of the chapel's gilded walls are incrusted with semi-precious stones set in the shape of crosses while the gilded ceiling is set with glass and stones laid out like a starry sky. An impressive set of 129 paintings dating back to the 14th century covers the upper part of the walls. This collection of gothic portraits by Theodoric - the royal painter of Charles IV, is one of the largest in the world. The figures represent the angels, saints and religious figures who make up the 'Army of the Heavens'. In order to preserve the sanctity of the chapel of the Holy Cross, King Charles decreed that no man could lie with a woman in any chamber of the Great Tower, whether it be his lawful wife or not. This decree gradually became distorted over time until legend had it that no woman was allowed to enter Karlštejn castle. The
Visit Visiting the three main buildings of the castle is only possible as part of a guided tour. When you arrive at the castle you'll be able to choose one of two completely different tours which visit either the Imperial Palace (200 CZK, 100 CZK students/children) or the Imperial Palace and the Great Tower (300 CZK, 100 CZK students/children - open from July 1st - November 20th). Both English and Czech language tours begin every 30 minutes. Rest
and Relaxation For those interested in an overnight trip, the area surrounding Karlštejn castle is also home to Krivoklát and Tocnik castles, the Konepruské and Serbian caves, and a golf course is just over the hill. A handful of pensions and hotels are available on the road leading up to the castle, as well as the Pension "U N�draz�" (rooms from 500 CZK/night), located right behind the train station. Getting
There More
Info
Official website: www.hradkarlstejn.cz |
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