Hradčany in Prague: Prague Castle, Cathedral and Golden Lane. Visit Hradčany!

The castle at Hradčany in Pragueis the largest in the world, entered in the Guinness Book of Records. Of course, smaller in area than the one in Malbork, but in the case of Hradčany, the record speaks of the most compact castle complex. Check out the attractions, history and practical information in our guide to Prague's Hradčany!

How to get to Hradčany?

You can walk from Charles Bridge through the Mala Strana district along the following streets: Mostecká, Małostrański trh (Malostranské námesti), Zámecká and from Thunoská street to enter the Castle Stairs (Zámecké schody), leading to Hradčánski Square (Hradčanské nám.) You can walk along it and follow it up the pleasant Loretańska Street, or take the stairs to the right and turn right behind the guard to the depths of the castle complex (there is only an exit at the guard). 

Another way to get to Hradčany Castle (from the Golden Lane) is to take the green metro line to the Malostranská station, and from there through the streets: Klárov and Pod Bruskou to the Old Castle Stairs (Staré zámecké schody), which will lead to the castle gate. From which side you will not enter, a nice view of the city from above awaits you and you will be delighted by the momentum and power with which the complex was built.

Sights and attractions in Prague's Hradčany district. What's worth seeing in the world's largest castle? Experience map

The castle in Hradčany is such a fascinating place that you can spend most of the day here and I recommend planning at least a few hours here. Check out the best attractions in Hradčany!

Golden Lane in Hradčany

Golden Lane is a wonderful and very popular corner of Hradčany. It is named after the royal goldsmiths who lived here in the 17th century. We came here at 9.00 in the morning and found this place completely intimate, much more pleasant than later when we looked here. Just as empty, it reveals its charm of tiny, modest houses, glued to the castle wall. They were mainly created at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. Initially, the castle guard lived here, then craftsmen, including goldsmiths, and even later, at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the Prague poor, but also artists, concentrated here. 

Today, you will find exhibitions presenting the life of burghers in the old centuries, as well as atmospheric shops. One can imagine living and working conditions, because the chamber housed both a workshop and an apartment. Interestingly, in 1916-17, Franz Kafka lived here with his sister and created his works. 

The long Golden Lane was referred to as the Alchemists' Avenue. One of the staged chambers refers to a legend according to which alchemists used to live here. They were supposed to try to turn lead into gold. Well, of course, this did not work out and apparently in reality they lived closer to the palace and were under the strict supervision of Emperor Rudolf II Habsburg (great-grandson of Władysław Jagiellończyk), for whom they were looking for an elixir of life and divine knowledge. And next to it, we found the window through which we looked 25 years ago, during our previous visit to Prague. Unfortunately, it is currently wired.

Prague Castle in Hradčany (Old Royal Palace)

The first Slavic settlement stood on this hill as early as in the ninth century, and the proper castle in the next century. In the fourteenth century, a long-term construction of a new castle began on the abandoned Hradčany, which became the seat of subsequent rulers. Today it is referred to as the Prague Castle or the old royal palace.

Władysławowski Hall at the castle

I highly recommend the castle interiors, where the Władysławowska Hall captivates. It is the largest vaulted secular hall in this part of Europe. It is huge! It is 62 meters long, 16 meters wide and close to 1000 m². It dates back to the 15th century, and its unprecedented beauty can be admired thanks to Władysław II Jagiellończyk, the grandson of Władysław Jagiełło.

Knight tournaments at the castle

Imagine that in this hall, in the middle of the castle, there were knightly tournaments, using horses. A wide, gently rising cage was prepared especially for them. King Władysław, along with his brothers, the rulers of Poland and Lithuania, formed a dynasty ruling from the Baltic Sea, through the Black Sea, to the Mediterranean Sea, because later he also won the Hungarian crown along with the Croatian one. After him, his son Louis ascended the throne, but he died young in the battle with the Turks and this is how the Habsburg era began. The Prague castle has never ceased to perform its original function. Also today, it is the official residence of the authorities of the Czech Republic and the venue for the organization of state celebrations.

St. Vitus Cathedral in Hradčany

St. Vitus Cathedral in Hradčany is a huge and intimidatingly beautiful temple that occupies the central place of the complex. The first Romanesque rotunda was erected here in the 10th century, and more precisely in 929. A monastery was also built at a similar time. The present monumental church began to be built in the fourteenth century. The cathedral is known as St. Vitus, but in fact it bears the invocations of 3 saints: Wit, Wacław and "our" Wojciech. His body was stolen from Gniezno and rests here in crypts together with Czech rulers. The situation is somewhat similar to that in Venice with Saint Mark. It must be said that St. Wojciech came from the Czech Republic and belonged to the then important Sławnikowice family, who were rivals of the Przemyślids. During ancestral disputes, Wojciech moved north and thus found himself on Polish soil.

Interestingly, the temple was built for over 500 years and, in addition to Gothic, we can also find later elements here. Construction was stopped during the Hussite wars, and resumed only in the nineteenth century, in 1872 the western part of the temple began to be erected. Construction was officially completed only in 1929. Almost with his mouth open, he walks through the cathedral, admiring its powerful and intricately decorated interior! They will be decorated with a dozen or so chapels in various architectural styles. The most impressive is the silver, baroque tombstone of St. John of Nepomuk. Nearly two tons of precious metal were used to create it. Such a modest confessor rests in one of the most magnificent sarcophagi in the Czech Republic. The crown of St. Wenceslas, a copy of which we admired atKarlstejn Castle, is kept in a hidden chamber.

And if you have enough strength, climb 285 steps and climb the cathedral tower, measuring almost 100 meters, or 96 meters to be exact. It is the highest in this temple, next to the two slightly lower ones, and an observation deck has been prepared on it. Unfortunately, there is no other way to get here than by these stairs, but the landscape made up for the effort. The panorama of Prague hidden under fresh white down was simply fabulous!

St. George's Basilica in Hradčany

St. George's Basilica is the oldest church in Hradčany and the second oldest in Prague! It dates back to the 10th century, and was rebuilt in the 12th century, in 1142 after a fire. Its baroque façade contrasts with the austere, Romanesque interior. Here lie the remains of the first dynasty ruling in Bohemia, the Przemyślids. In the chapel there are also relics of St. Ludmila, the grandmother of St. Wenceslas.

Hradčany market square and changing the guard under the palace

Once Hradčany, like other present-day districts of Prague, was an independent city, so to the west of the castle you can walk around the charming and peaceful market square. It is surrounded by magnificent palaces built by the aristocracy and clergy, with this most important, the New Royal Palace. At the Giants' Gate, the guard is guarded by soldiers, and at noon a ceremonial change of guard takes place here. It's a real show with music in the lead role. Interestingly, the author of this musical setting is a rock musician, and the uniforms of soldiers from the castle guard were designed by Theodor Pistek, who won an Oscar for costumes for the film "Amadeus". This is definitely one of the most stylish watch changes you'll see in Europe!

Practical information

The entrance to the Hradčany area is free, but the interiors of the castle, the cathedral and the Basilica of St. George and the Golden Lane are available behind a common entrance ticket, which costs 450 kc (85 PLN) per person. The price is not low, but it is understandable if you visit the places available within it. You could be tempted to introduce different tickets, but we noticed that in Prague they prefer to treat sightseeing comprehensively. In addition to the objects described by me, the ticket also includes an exhibition on the history of the Prague castle or the Lobkowicz Palace.

I recommend visiting Golden Lane in the morning. We were in the winter at 9.00, right after the opening and then it was empty. By noon and evening, there were a lot of tourists and the place lost much of its charm. So I recommend visiting Hradčany in the morning just from the Golden Lane, especially since you can only walk around the Władysławowski Hall in the castle by the walls, so the middle is empty regardless of the hour of sightseeing.

The castle complex in Hradčany and the market square also look very beautiful after dark, especially shortly after sunset, when the illumination is already on and the sky is still blue, not black. This is the best time for city photos in the dark.

And from Czech cities, I also recommend: the wonderful Kutná Hora, nearbyKolin, Olomouccalled Little Prague or Ostrava with an attractive zoo and observation towers.

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What's worth seeing in the area?

If you are looking for more ideas for interesting places to visit, we have it for you some options in the area. There are several attractions within a radius of 100 kilometers, that are worth adding to your travel plan.

• Prague, distance: 1.5  km
• Karlstejn Castle, distance: 22.7  km
• Beroun, distance: 27.3  km
• Czech Karst, distance: 30.7  km
• Koneprusie Caves in the Czech Republic, distance: 30.8  km
• Rock city in the Czech Republic. Kokorinsko, distance: 36.9  km
• Kolin, distance: 57.6  km
• Kutna Hora, distance: 63.8  km
• Central Bohemia, distance: 63.8  km
• Pardubice, distance: 98.6  km