Your essential guide to Prague Castle: access, highlights, and practical tips for a memorable visit.
Prague Castle is a whole walled town rather than a single building — three large courtyards, a Gothic cathedral, a Renaissance summer palace, a medieval basilica, the entire Golden Lane and several gardens, all spread across 7.28 hectares of ridge above the Vltava. On a first visit it is easy to walk through it without realising what you've missed. This guide explains how to get up the hill, which gate to choose, the order most visitors find rewarding, and the small details that catch people out. See also our opening hours and best time to visit guides for planning tips.
The Gothic cathedral that dominates the skyline from across the river is the centrepiece. Founded by Charles IV in 1344, finished only in 1929 after a six-century pause, it holds the tombs of Bohemian kings, the Crown Jewels of Bohemia (visible only on rare occasions), and the silver-encrusted shrine of St. John of Nepomuk — two tonnes of solid silver. Don't miss the Art Nouveau stained-glass window by Alfons Mucha in the third chapel on the left. Allow at least 30 minutes here.
Behind St. Vitus stands the Old Royal Palace. Inside is the breathtaking Vladislav Hall — a 62-metre-long late-Gothic vaulted space completed in 1502, large enough that knights once jousted on horseback indoors. Bohemian kings were crowned here, and every Czech president is sworn in here today. Adjoining rooms hold the Bohemian Chancellery where the 1618 Defenestration of Prague triggered the Thirty Years' War.
Behind the cathedral runs Golden Lane (Zlatá ulička), a row of tiny brightly painted houses built in the 16th century for Rudolf II's castle guards and later home to goldsmiths. House number 22, painted blue, was where Franz Kafka lived and wrote from 1916 to 1917. Next door stands the Basilica of St. George, the oldest surviving church on the castle hill — Romanesque, founded in 920 AD, with a striking white limestone Baroque façade.
Prague Castle is at Hradčany, 119 08 Prague 1, on the hilltop directly across the Vltava from the Old Town. The nearest metro station is Malostranská on the green Line A — from there it's a steep but scenic 10-minute climb up the Old Castle Steps (Staré zámecké schody). The alternative is tram 22 to Pražský hrad, although that line is suspended from 21 March to 17 July 2026 for track reconstruction; while suspended, use stops Pohořelec or Brusnice instead, both a short level walk from the main gate.
Online ticket holders should enter through the main Matthias Gate on Hradčanské náměstí (Castle Square), where the Castle Guard stands sentry. Pass through the airport-style security check, walk through the First and Second Courtyards, and you're in the heart of the complex. Cloakrooms for large bags and coats are at the Information Centre in the Second Courtyard (free). Pick up a free castle map there, then start with St. Vitus Cathedral straight ahead in the Third Courtyard.
Practical answers to plan your visit