Karlštejn Castle

Charles IV founded Karlštejn in 1348 and personally oversaw its building and decoration; the work was directed by Vitus of Bítov. The Chapel of the Holy Cross in the Great Tower was consecrated in 1365. It was the heart of the castle, where the imperial regalia, the Bohemian crown jewels and holy relics were kept, and tradition says Charles entered it barefoot.

During the Hussite Wars the imperial regalia were taken away, and in 1422 Hussite forces besieged the castle without taking it. The Bohemian crown jewels were kept here for almost two more centuries until they were moved to Prague in 1619. After the Thirty Years' War the castle fell into disrepair, and its present appearance largely comes from Josef Mocker's Gothic Revival restoration of 1887-1899.

Karlštejn village lives largely from castle visitors, with its main street lined with stalls and cafés leading up to the gate. The castle is a powerful national symbol tied to Charles IV, whose reign is remembered as a golden age for Bohemia, and it is one of the most visited castles in the country.