{"id":17187,"date":"2020-12-20T10:15:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-20T08:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fromplacetoplace.travel\/?p=17187"},"modified":"2020-12-11T10:41:14","modified_gmt":"2020-12-11T08:41:14","slug":"vysehrad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fromplacetoplace.travel\/czech-republic\/prague\/vysehrad\/","title":{"rendered":"Vy\u0161ehrad – the second Prague castle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
When thinking of Prague Castle, everyone first thinks of the city’s tourist highlight. Only very few visitors are drawn to the second Prague Castle, the Vy\u0161ehrad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
To the south of the New Town on the right bank of the Vltava lies Vy\u0161ehrad, one of the most famous early medieval ramparts in Bohemia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
History of Vy\u0161ehrad<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The castle complex on the Vltava River was built in the first half of the 10th century. The first Czech king Vratislav II moved his residence from Prague Castle to Vy\u0161ehrad around 1070. Here he founded the collegiate chapter of St. Peter and Paul. At the end of the 11th century, in addition to the church and the collegiate building, the Basilica of St. Lawrence and the Rotunda of St. Martin were built. For almost 70 years the rulers of the region lived in the castle until they returned to Prague Castle. Vy\u0161ehrad gradually fell into disrepair. Only the church facilities continued to be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Charles IV was in power in the second half of the 14th century, Vy\u0161ehrad flourished again. A new fortification wall was built, with battlements which allowed access to the castle only through a few gates. A new royal palace was built and the church of St. Peter and Paul was enlarged. In a newly written coronation order Charles IV determined that Vy\u0161ehrad should be the starting point for the coronation procession of Czech kings. He himself “walked” the path twice, once for his coronation and once, though not under his own power, during his funeral procession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the death of Charles IV, mainly priests lived on the hill above Prague. In 1420, the Hussites conquered and destroyed almost all the buildings. Around 1654 the militarily obsolete fortress was turned into a Baroque fortress. The builders erected the massive redoubts and corner bastions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1911, the fortress was almost completely ground down. In the meantime, intensive archaeological research uncovered some buildings of the old royal court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Visit of the Vy\u0161ehrad castle complex<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
We reached the hill, on which the second Prague castle complex is located, from the bank of the Vltava River. A sign showed us the way to the complex, which can be reached via countless steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Already during the ascent you can enjoy the beautiful view over the Vltava River.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Through a small gate in a wall we finally reach the premises of Vy\u0161ehrad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our first way led to St.Peter and Paul Church with the adjacent cemetery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vy\u0161ehrad cemetery<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
We only looked at the church from the outside. A really massive building, which stands directly next to our actual destination the cemetery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
The Vy\u0161ehrad Cemetery is one of the most important cemeteries in Prague. Here you can find graves of many personalities, among others the composers Anton\u00edn Dvo\u0159\u00e1k and Bed\u0159ich Smetana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The cemetery was created in 1870 as a national burial ground. On the south and east sides of the cemetery are marble crypts and arcades. Beautiful paintings adorn the cross vaults supported by Tuscan columns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are still well-preserved tombs to be seen today, some with impressive grave monuments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Something special is the common honorary crypt Slav\u00edn, where many personalities have been buried. The main path of the cemetery brings the visitor directly to the tomb. Above the main memorial there is a sarcophagus which a figure bends. On the side, there are two figures that are supposed to represent the mourning and the victorious homeland. On three plaques are the names of the first 15 buried in the Slav\u00edn. In 1901 the first was the poet Julius Zeyer. Above the plaques hangs a saying with the “Slav\u00edn motto”: “Although they died, they still speak.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
![\"Prag](\"https:\/\/vonortzuort.reisen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/prag-burg-2-moldau-aufstieg-1024x682.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Vy\u0161ehrad](\"https:\/\/vonortzuort.reisen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/prag-burg-2-friedhof-und-kirche-1024x682.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Friedhof](\"https:\/\/vonortzuort.reisen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/prag-burg-2-friedhof-slavin-1024x682.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Prager](\"https:\/\/vonortzuort.reisen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/prag-burg-2-friedhof-graeber-1024x682.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Neue](\"https:\/\/vonortzuort.reisen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/prag-burg-2-neue-dekanei-1024x682.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Martins](\"https:\/\/vonortzuort.reisen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/prag-burg-2-rotunde-1024x682.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Ausblick](\"https:\/\/vonortzuort.reisen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/prag-burg-2-1024x682.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"Blick](\"https:\/\/vonortzuort.reisen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/prag-burg-2-blick-zu-burg1-1024x682.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"Blick](\"https:\/\/vonortzuort.reisen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/prag-burg-2-moldaublick-1024x682.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"Mauer](\"https:\/\/vonortzuort.reisen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/prag-burg-2-mauern-und-moldau-1024x682.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Figuren](\"https:\/\/vonortzuort.reisen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/prag-burg-2-park-figuren-1024x682.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"Prag](\"https:\/\/vonortzuort.reisen\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/prag-burg-2-figuren-park-1024x682.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n