The greatest ancient castle group in European history.

Prague Castle is located on the Vitava River's west bank in Prague's Petrin Hill. It is a landmark of Prague, built in the 9th century, and is the oldest and most complete ancient castle complex in European history. Originally the Bohemian royal palace, it has been continuously expanded by successive emperors, with buildings in various historical styles such as Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance. It has churches, palaces, and gardens, covering an area of 45 hectares, including one palace, three churches, and one monastery, located in three courtyards. It is still the seat of the president and national institutions. Entering the gate of the castle is the first courtyard of Prague Castle, where there is the Baroque-style St. Vitus Church and fountain pool built by the Habsburg dynasty in 1763. Every day starting from 9am in the morning, there is a ceremony for changing guards at every hour. Enter the Giant's Gate, and you will find the Baroque-style Matthias Gate of the city of Budapest. This gate was built in 1614 and named after Matthias, the Emperor of the Habsburg Dynasty. The emblem of the Habsburg Dynasty is located on the top of the main entrance. Entering the castle, the magnificent St. Vitus Cathedral comes into view. St. Vitus Cathedral is the most renowned architectural treasure of Prague Castle. In addition to its rich architectural features, it is also the place where the royal family of Prague Castle was crowned and laid to rest after their passing. From the towering spires of the cathedral, the interlocking beams of the interior roof, and the flying buttresses on the outside, it is easy to recognize it as a typical Gothic-style building, with ornate decorations such as the arches on the door. Unfortunately, the cathedral is hosting an event today and cannot be visited inside. (Fortunately, we discovered that the castle ticket allows for a two-day visit, so we can come back tomorrow and make sure to visit here.) The most surprising thing about the Old Royal Palace in Prague is that the interior decoration is almost non-existent. It's hard to imagine that this was a palace, especially when compared to the nearby St. Vitus Cathedral. It's a clear example of how in Europe, the power of the church was greater than that of the monarchy. After leaving the old palace, I arrived at the entrance of the St. George's Convent. St. George's Convent was the first female convent in Bohemia, which was demolished and rebuilt as a military camp in the 18th century. Now it is a national art gallery, collecting Czech art works from the 14th to the 17th century. The former Bohemian kings were buried here, and the basement of the convent is the king's tomb. It is actually very exquisite and beautiful, but its brilliance is overshadowed by the huge St. Vitus Cathedral. Due to poor protection, it is severely worn. After turning the street corner, you enter the famous Golden Lane in the Prague Castle area. But it has to be said that there are too many people, and it's hard to take any good photos because it's all just heads. The Golden Lane was actually a slum built along the city wall, and later, when alchemy was popular in Europe, some alchemists studied alchemy here and it became known as the Golden Lane. And the most famous place here is Kafka's former residence.