Karlstejn Castle is the most visited and one of the most beautiful castles in the Czech Republic.
Karlstejn Castle is a fortress on a cliff above the River Berounka in central Bohemia of the Czech Republic, about 30 km southwest of Prague. Charles IV, King of Bohemia, built this medieval castle from 1348 to 1357 to safeguard the crown jewels of the Holy Roman Empire. The original architecture of the castle was Gothic but it was reconstructed in the 16th century with Renaissance style architecture and the current castle was remodeled again with neo-Gothic architecture in the 19th century.
The only people to live in the castle were Charles IV and his son Wenceslas IV making the castle’s primary function being a well-guarded place to store the imperial crown jewels and various valuable religious relics. The treasures stayed in the castle for about 200 years until they were moved to Prague.
Approaching the castle
Getting to Karlstejn Castle requires an approximately 20 minute uphill walk through a lush forest that surrounds the castle. The short hike is a pleasant walk through nature with spectacular views that could be used for the setting of a fairytale.
Outer Wall
The outer wall of the castle is a defensive wall that was built to repel attackers and to aid the castle troops with alternating lower notches for using their weapons and higher notches as shield to protect the troops from attacker’s firearms.
Entrance Gates
Fortified entrance gates are used to gain access into the castle grounds and to go between sections of the castle. The first three photos are of entrance gates on the outer wall that permits people to enter the castle grounds and the second three photos are entrance gates that restricts passage between sections of the castle.
Main Tower
The most prominent feature of the castle is the multi-story main tower that rises significantly higher than the other buildings of the castle. This tower is called the “Great Tower and houses the Holy Cross which was sued to store important relics and is considered the spiritual head of the castle.
Circular Turret
No castle is complete without a circular turret. Most castle turrets were built as a guard lookout post but the turret at Karlstejn Castle is actually the well tower. It was the first part of the castle to be built and supplied water to the castle. Ironically, builders drilled a well 70 meters deep but didn’t find water so they excavated an underground channel to bring water into the castle from a nearby stream.
Half-timbered Buildings
One of the most unique features of Karlstejn Castle are the half-timbered buildings. I found this very unusual because the exterior of all of the other castles that I have seen has been constructed completely with stone.
Burgrave’s House is a half-timbered house that is perched over the exterior wall of the castle. It is the only building that features a chevron pattern design on the façade.
Three other building are also half-timbered buildings. These buildings are the Imperial Palace, St. Mary’s Tower and the Great Tower. The façade on the upper level of these buildings are also constructed with timber but their design is different from Burgrave’s House.
Roof Architecture
Another unique feature of Karlstejn Castle are the oddly shaped roofs on almost all of the structures in the castle complex. The architectural style of the castle roofs are that they have a steep incline on all four sides and they are covered in blue stone shingles.
Karlstejn Village
The village of Karlstejn is a small town in the Central Bohemian Region. Named after the castle, the town stretches from the train station along a curvy road up to the castle. The castle is obviously the only real tourist attraction but the village is devoted to tourism and there are shops and restaurants that make visiting the town an enjoyable part of visiting the castle.
The best view of the Karlstejn Castle is from Karlstejn Village. It is hard to take your eyes off of the castle when you are walking through town or enjoying an outdoor meal at one of the restaurants with outdoor seating.
The Dust on My Shoes
When I travel, I like to see places that are unique from other places that I have seen. Europe is loaded with castles so I try to be selective with the castles that I visit. The Karlstejn Castle has an exterior appearance that is different from any other castle that I had previously visited.
Entrance into the castle grounds is free but the interior cannot be visited independently. Visitors are required to purchase a ticket for a guided tour and I was informed that photography was only allowed in certain locations. My past experience from visiting places that don’t allow photography is that I am usually disappointed with the experience. Similarly, I enjoy seeing places at my own pace and not being herded along with a group on a guided tour. For these reasons I chose not to visit the inside of Karlstejn Castle. My understanding from the people that have visited the inside is that the castle is the most spectacular from the outside.
I enjoyed spending some time in Karlstejn Village wandering through the shops and having a Kolace at one of the restaurants with alfresco seating. It is hard to find a better outdoor dining experience than looking up at the hilltop and seeing Karlstejn Castle!
When we travel, it is tempting to want to see everything but sometimes it is better to skip a tour and soak in the experience of just being there by having a relaxing snack.
Related Posts
I have been there. I do recommend taking the guided tour. While this castle may not be the fairy tale castle, it does have its charm. And yes, you must make a tour to visit this castle and the nearby town. While Prague is a wonderful city to visit, the trip to this castle is worth it.