Museums and Monuments of Prague's Castle

There are 10 different buildings (museums, galleries, monuments) that you can visit inside the Prague’s Castle. In this article we tried to explain all that can be visited at this location and offer more information than you will be able to find at the ticket office. Prague’s Castle is a beautiful complex but be sure to inform yourself on which ticket to buy up front.

Prague’s Castle is one of the most visited sights in Prague (others being: Charles Bridge and the Astronomical clock). Just a limited area of the castle can be visited without buying a ticket. In this article we are going to explain all the museums, galleries and monuments that are located within the castle and which we called Museums and Monuments of Prague’s Castle.
There are 10 buildings that you can visit inside the castle, but surprisingly you cannot visit them all with only one ticket. Apparently you need to by two different ones (Circuit A+ Circuit C= 700CZK).

Old Royal Palace
The first palace on this spot was built in the 9^th century. This wooden building was replaced by a stone building in the 12^th century. The remains of the later construction can be seen in fragments even today, mostly in the basement of the structure. This palace was deserted for entire 80 years in the 15^th century, because of the fight between Hussite (followers of Jan Hus, who wanted reforms within the Catholic Church) and forces supported by the Pope (who sent several crusades against “heretics”). After this period, King Vladislav Jagiello returned to the castle and started the last reconstruction of the palace. Vladislav Hall from this period (built in late Gothic and new Renaissance stile) can be visited today.
Story of Prague Castle
This exhibition tells a story of the Prague’s Castle, about its rulers and people connected to them: saints, artists, architects, scholars etc. Here you’ll be able to learn about crown jewels and about the importance of this castle for Czech people.
St Georg’s Basilica
This basilica is the oldest surviving basilica within the Prague’s castle. It was built in 930, while the Baroque facade that visitors may see today dates back to the 17^th century. The Basilica is merely a dwarf next to its neighbor Basilica of St Vitus. Nevertheless, its walls completely built of stone, its narrow shape, frescoes and that old architecture (where there was little difference between catholic and orthodox churches), make this church a very interesting place to visit.
Treasure of St Vitus Basilica
This exhibition is displayed in the second Courtyard (section) of the castle. Here you will be able to see the treasure of the Basilica that was collected from the 11^th century onwards. The collection consists of some 140 items of immense historical and artistic value. Most objects are made of silver or gold.
Golden Lain with Daliborka Tower
It is a small street inside the Prague’s castle in which several small houses are located. These houses date back to the 16^th century, and for most tourists nowadays they look more like houses for dolls than the real ones for people (because of their size). The original name of the street was Gold-makers Street, so most probably the first inhabitants were goldsmiths. These houses were demolished in the 16^th century and a few years later emperor Rudolph II allowed 24 of the castle’s gunsmiths to build their houses in this street.
Daliborka tower was used as a prison since 15^th century till the 18^th century. Today visitors may see the collection of torturing devices used at that time as well as the wheel with which prisoners were lowered in their cells below.
Picture Gallery (Pinacoteca)
In this gallery visitors will be able to see around 100 painting that have been selected from the collection of 4000 that is in possession of Prague’s Castle. Among these painting there are works of art by Titian, Aachen and Rubens.
Just a few of the paintings displayed belong to the collection of Rudolph II who amassed at the end of 16^th century the largest collection of paintings of his time.
Powder Tower
Mihulka tower was built for defensive purpose in the 15^th century, however over the course of history it was used for many other purposes. In the 16^th century, the tower was used as alchemist’s laboratory where they tried to turn metal into gold. Nowadays, in this tower there is a permanent exhibition of Military History Institute, where visitors can get acquainted with a tiny part of military history of Czech Republic (if interested in military history visit Military Museum in Prague).
St Vitus Cathedral
St Vitus Cathedral is the largest and most important church in Prague where coronation of Czech kings took place and where Czech rulers, nobleman, saints and archbishops were buried. The construction of this cathedral was initiated by Charles IV in 1344, but due to unrests on these lands the cathedral was only finished in 1929, with some additional adaptations that were done even later. A part of this Cathedral can be visited for free, while in order to visit the whole structure you’ll need to pay one of the listed tickets.
Rosenberg Palace
Rosenberg Palace was built by the Rosenberg family in the 16^th century. The palace was exchanged in the 1600 and the new owner was Emperor Rudolph II. The Emperor connected the palace and the Old Royal Palace with a wooden corridor. In 1756, the palace was rebuilt in order to serve as the residence for unmarried noblewomen. The noblewomen from the insolvent families older than 24 and unmarried would reside here. This practice stopped in 1919, while today Rosenberg place is the seat of the president of Czech Republic.
South Tower of St Vitus Cahtedral
For a separate ticket you will be able to climb the stairs of the great South Tower of St Vitus Cathedral and enjoy the view to both the Prague’s Castle and to the city of Prague. The tower is 97 meters high and offers one of the most spectacular views on the city. Be careful though, there e are some 300 steps that lead to the top and no elevator.

Ticket prices for museums and art galleries at Prague Castle
Ticket-Circuit A
St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, exhibition-the Story of Prague Castle, St. George's Basilica, Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower, Powder Tower, Rosenberg Palace.
Regular ticket price is: 350CZK.
Reduced ticket price is: 175CZK.
Family ticket: 700CZK.

Ticket-Circuit B
St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower.
Regular ticket price is: 250CZK.
Reduced ticket price is: 125CZK.
Family ticket: 500CZK.

Ticket-Circuit C
Exhibition-The Treasure of St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague Castle Picture Gallery.
Regular ticket price is: 350CZK.
Reduced ticket price is: 175CZK.
Family ticket: 700CZK.

Exhibition-The Story of Prague Castle
Regular ticket price is: 140CZK.
Reduced ticket price is: 70CZK.
Family ticket: 280CZK.
Exhibition the Treasure of St. Vitus Cathedral
Regular ticket price is: 300CZK.
Reduced ticket price is: 150CZK.
Family ticket: 600CZK.
Prague Castle Picture Gallery
Regular ticket price is: 100CZK.
Reduced ticket price is: 50CZK.
Family ticket: 200CZK.
Powder Tower – Exhibition of the Castle Guard
Regular ticket price is: 70CZK.
Reduced ticket price is: 40CZK.
Family ticket: 140CZK.
Great South Tower with a View Gallery
Regular ticket price is: 150CZK.

Reduced price: children between 6 and 16 years old, students younger than 26, senior citizens older than 65.
Family ticket: maximum of two adults and 1-5 children.
Free entrance: children under the age of 6, disabled individuals and their companions.
Fee for taking photos: 50CZK.
(!) The ticket office is located inside the castle, to your right, when facing the cathedral of St Vitus.
We advise you to check ticket prices before visiting – check the official website of the Prague’s Castle.

Working hours of museums and art galleries at Prague Castle
The Museums and galleries of the Prague’s Caslte
(1 Aprile-31 October) from Monday to Sunday working hours are: 09:00-18:00h.
(1 November- 31 March) from Monday to Sunday working hours are: 09:00-16:00h.
We advise you to check working hours before visiting – check the official website of the Prague’s Castle.

Interesting facts

The renowned writer Franz Kafka lived in one of the houses (number 22) in the Golden Lane during the First World War.
According to the legend, Emperor Rudolph II allowed the court’s alchemists to settle in the Golden Lane, where they were trying to make gold out of metal. This is another possible origin of the name of the street.
Crown jewels that consist of the Crown, Royal Scepter, Royal Apple and Coronation Cloak are being safely kept inside the Prague’s Castle. The safe with the crown jewels is located in the least approachable part of the castle behind seven keys. These jewels are rarely exhibited in public (the last time it happened was in 1998) and the President of the Republic is the only one that can decide when the jewels are to be displayed.
In the house number 14 in the Golden Lane Street lived a famous fortune teller Madam de Thebes. She was killed by Gestapo during the Second World War, allegedly because she was repeatedly foretelling that Hitler will die soon.
Daliborka tower was named after its first prisoner- Knight Dalibor of Kozojedy. He waited for his punishment for a long time and in order to ease his imprisonment he asked for a violin. After some time he learned how to play it so well, that citizens of Prague would gather beneath the tower to listen to his sad melody and to bring him food. Nevertheless, he was executed in the Prague’s Castle. Bedrich Smetana composed Dalibor opera in his honor in the 19^th century.
The Mihulka tower is 44 meters high and 22 meters in diameter. This impressive tower was never used for defending Prague, the only damage it suffered was in the 17^th century when the gunpowder stored there exploded due to negligence.
On the South Tower of St Vitus Cathedral, also called the Big Bell Tower, a huge bell was placed in the 16^th century. This bell is called Sigismund, weighs some 18 tones (was built by Tomas Jaros), and after it was placed it served its purpose till present times without any defect.