Karlštejn Castle

Karlštejn Castle is just 30 km south-west from Prague near Beroun, in the heart of a romantic landscape of Czech Karst. Its history reaches back to 1348 when it was founded by Charles IV, King of Bohemia and later Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. The castle was originally meant to be the king´s country residence and a private treasury. However, in 1356 the plans were changed and Karlštejn Castle became a treasury for the Imperial Crown Jewels, a collection of holy relics and other treasures. Construction works took 17 years. The Well Tower with a 78-meter deep well, the Burgrave´s House and the Imperial Palace were built first. Then the smaller, so-called Marian Tower with the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and the Chapel of St. Catherine and finally the castle´s most impressive part - the Great Tower with the Chapel of the Holy Cross were built. Over the centuries, Karlštejn Castle has undergone two major reconstructions - in the 16th century under the direction of Ulrich Avostalis, a famous renaissance architect, and in the late 19th century that gave to the castle its present face. This general reconstruction in the spirit of purism (i.e. purification) was supervised by Josef Mocker, an architect of the new part of the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle.

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Karlštejn Castle is just 30 km south-west from Prague near Beroun, in the heart of a romantic landscape of Czech Karst. Its history reaches back to 1348 when it was founded by Charles IV, King of Bohemia and later Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. The castle was originally meant to be the king´s country residence and a private treasury. However, in 1356 the plans were changed and Karlštejn Castle became a treasury for the Imperial Crown Jewels, a collection of holy relics and other treasures. Construction works took 17 years. The Well Tower with a 78-meter deep well, the Burgrave´s House and the Imperial Palace were built first. Then the smaller, so-called Marian Tower with the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and the Chapel of St. Catherine and finally the castle´s most impressive part - the Great Tower with the Chapel of the Holy Cross were built. Over the centuries, Karlštejn Castle has undergone two major reconstructions - in the 16th century under the direction of Ulrich Avostalis, a famous renaissance architect, and in the late 19th century that gave to the castle its present face. This general reconstruction in the spirit of purism (i.e. purification) was supervised by Josef Mocker, an architect of the new part of the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle.

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