Prague Castle

Prague Castle is a castle in Prague where the Czech kings, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices. It has been, for more than 1200 years, the political centre of Czech state. But the oldest part of the castle mainly hosts tourists. The true heart of the Czech state and the most sacred place in all of the Czech lands lies in the middle of the third courtyard. This is St. Vitus’ Cathedral, which incorporates St. Wenceslas’ Chapel. Here rests the body of the eternal ruler and protector of Czech land. Above his grave the Crown Jewels have been placed in the crown chambers. The most valuable of which, St. Wenceslas’ Crown, comes from the time of Charles IV.
The history of the castle stretches back to the 9th century (870). It was rebuilt and increased during the centuries. In 1918 the castle became the seat of the president of the new Czechoslovak Republic. The New Royal Palace and the gardens were renovated by Slovenian architect Joze Plecnik. Renovations continued in 1936 under Plecnik’s successor Pavel Janak.
The Golden Gate
Between the large southern tower and St. Wenceslas’ Chapel you can find the monumental entrance to the cathedral, called the Golden Gate. It is decorated with a mosaic from the time of Charles IV on which he is portrayed with his fourth wife, Elizabeth of Pommern. This mosaic on the Prague Castle is considered until today to be the largest and oldest outdoor mosaic north of the Alps.
The truth of the legend
During the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, during World War II, Prague Castle became the headquarters of Reinhard Heydrich, the “Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia”. It is said that he placed the Bohemian crown on his head; old legends say that a usurper who places the crown on his head is doomed to die within a year. Less than a year after assuming power, Heydrich was assassinated.
The beautiful neighbourhood
There are various gardens in the nearby surroundings of Prague castle, which have been growing here since the time of Ferdinand I. (since 1534). They harbour a number of Renaissance and Baroque statues from the premier artists of their time (including M.B. Braun) and no less noteworthy structures. 
After Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the castle became the seat of the Head of State of the new Czech Republic. Similar to what Masaryk did with Plecnik, president Vaclav Havel commissioned Borek Sipek to be the architect of post-communism Prague Castle’s necessary improvements in particular of the facelift of the Castle’s Gallery of paintings.
Prague Castle is one of the biggest castles in the world (according to Guinness Book of Records the biggest ancient castle) at about 570 meters in length and an average of about 130 meters wide.