Vyšehrad

A fortified settlement stood here by the 10th century. In the second half of the 11th century Vyšehrad became the seat of the first Bohemian king, Vratislav, and his successors, who built a palace, a chapter church and the Rotunda of St Martin, until the court returned to Prague Castle around 1140. Charles IV later restored its prestige and made a pilgrimage here before each coronation.

Hussite forces sacked the site in 1420, and after the Thirty Years' War the Habsburgs rebuilt it as a Baroque fortress, with brick casemates for moving troops. In the 19th century, as Czech national awareness grew, the cemetery became a national burial ground, with the Slavín tomb for leading figures in the arts and sciences. Vyšehrad became part of Prague in 1883 and is now a National Cultural Monument.

For Czechs, Vyšehrad is woven into national identity through its legends of Libuše and the founding of Prague, and through the cemetery, which serves as a national pantheon. Today it is a public park where locals come for quiet walks and picnics, and for celebrations such as New Year's Eve.