Attraction: Prague Castle

Prague Castle is, in fact, a castle complex in Prague, Czech Republic, which was built during the 9th century. The President of the Czech Republic holds the office of the presidency, which is recognized and accepted by the people of the Czech Republic. For more than 900 years, the castle was the seat of power for kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman emperors, and presidents of Czechoslovakia. The Bohemian Crown Jewels are held within a secret room that is hidden inside of it.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Prague Castle is the world’s largest ancient castle, spanning about 7,000 square meters (75,000 square feet) and covering an area of around 570 meters (1,870 feet of length and an average width of about 130 meters (430 feet). In terms of the number of visitors, the castle is ranked amongst the most popular tourist destinations in Prague. Approximately 1.8 million visitors annually make the castle their destination.

The history of the castle began in 870, when its first walled building, the Church of the Virgin Mary, was built. Both of these prominent churches in Prague, the Basilica of Saint George and the Basilica of St. Vitus, were established under the reigns of Vratislaus I, Duke of Bohemia and his son St. Wenceslas in the first half of the 10th century.

A convent was established on the castle grounds near the church of St. George, and soon there were several convents located around churches in the same manner. An impressive Romanesque building was constructed here in the 12th century.

Nineteenth-century Venetian coins that were found there were examined by a numismatist, Zdenka Nemeškalová-Jiroudková.