Prague Castle

This was the home of Czech (Bohemian) royalty, some of the Holy Roman Emperors, and now hosts the office of the President of the Czech Republic. It is generally thought that the origins of the castle date to the 9th century. It is considered to be the largest ancient castle in the world.
The 1st picture looks up to the castle from the approach. The 2nd is in the main courtyard and looks at some of the remodeling commissioned by Maria Teresa (mother of Marie Antoinette) in the 18th century. There is a plaque at the end of the building. The 3rd picture is of another palace entrance.
The 4th picture is of St George's Basilica, the old church within the castle. Portions of the building date to the 10th century.
The 5th picture is also outside the castle proper and is the residence of the Steinhausers who the Hapsburgs put in charge of Prague when they were not in residence (which was most of the time).
The last picture looks along the Vladislav Hall which is large enough to host jousting tournaments. Stables were built below, and the "Knight's Stairway" was built to accommodate bringing horses from the stable up to the hall for tournaments.Читать далее