Karlštejn Castle

Yesterday was our first day trip from Prague.  We headed off to see Karlštejn which is probably the most famous and the most often visited castle in Czechland.  The castle, in Central Bohemia, is about 30 km (19 miles) from Prague.  The commuter train takes about 40 minutes to get there. 

The Gothic castle was founded in 1348 during the reign of Charles IV, the Holy Roman Emperor.  Construction was completed in 1365 and it was built for keeping the royal treasures safe.

View of the village from the castle

Karlštejn Castle sits on Kněží hill overlooking Karlštejn village.  The village is about a ½ km from the train station and then it's about about another ½ walk up the hill.

On the way up to the castle is a memorial to honor the local men who died in WWI.  The monument was unveiled in 1928 on the 10th anniversary of Czechoslovakia's independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Today was a really nice day and the weather was great.  Mom and Dad saw their first castle...ever.  Of course they will see lots more on this visit.  Today we're off to see České Budějovice and Český Krumlov.