Courtyards and Squares at Prague Castle
Prague Castle complex have several courtyards and squares and it might be quite complicated to orientate there. Let’s walk a bit through the courtyard and squares of the complex of Prague Castle.
The main entrance to Prague Castle is from Hradcanske namesti with a large statue of the first president of Czechoslovakia Tomas Garrigue Masaryk. From there you can get to Archbishop Palace, Salm Palace and Sternberg Palace.
From Hradcany Square you can easily get into the I courtyard of Prague Castle by a gate decorated with statues of Fighting Giants and vases from Ferdinand Platzer, guarded by two castle guards. The Matthias Gate that leads us to the II courtyard is the oldest Baroque secular monument in the Czech Republic.
II courtyard with Kohl’s fountain and St Cross Chapel was formed on a buried moat in the 16th century. White Tower, one of towers of this name at Prague Castle, is extant in the long wing of New Royal Palace diving the second and the third courtyards opposite the Matthias Gate. Through the northern gate of II courtyard (on your left hand) you can get to Powder Bridge (Prasny most) and Royal Garden. There is also the entrance to Prague Castle Picture Gallery with a great collection of the works of art since the reign of Rudolf II, and to Imperial Stables.
When you continue to the III. courtyard you’ll walk through the New Royal Palace with the offices of the President of the Czech Republic. On the III courtyard you’ll definitely notice the most significant sacred monument in the Czech Republic, St Vitus Cathedral. To the right, next to the St Vitus Cathedral, is the small house of Old Provosty founded in the 11th century. There’s a tourist information centre situated just opposite the provosty. Close to the Old Provosty you’ll see slim granite monolith made from one piece of stone. It’s been there since 1928 in memory of victims of WWI and 10th anniversary of independent Czechoslovakia. The statue near it represents St George on horseback. From the III courtyard is the entrance to Old Royal Palace.
Passing St Vitus Cathedral (either along Vikarska street, from where you can get to Mihulka Tower, or through the III courtyard) you’ll get to namesti U Sv. Jiri with the Old Royal Palace on your right side and St George’s Basilica and St George Convent in front of you. Continuing along Jirska street you can get to The Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower, the other White Tower, the Residence for Noblewomen, Lobkowicz Palace, Black Tower and finally to Old Royal Steps.
How to get there:
To Prague Castle you can get from many directions. You can
use trams no. 22 and 23 and get off at stop Prazsky hrad. Then continue over Powder Bridge.
get there by metro green line A and get off at Malostranska. Then climb up the Old Castle Steps, which you find when you walk up the street Klarov (there are tram tracks on it).
When you walk from the direction of Charles Bridge, walk along Mostecka and Nerudova streets and you’ll get to Hradcanske namesti. Or you can make it shorter when you turn from Lesser Town Square (Malostranske namesti) to Zamecka street and climb up a few steps.