Prague Castle, an ancient symbol of the Czech lands, sits on Castle Hill and proudly overlooks Vltava river, dominating the cityscape of Prague. The castle has been granted numerous honorary titles: not only has it become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but also the largest castle complex in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Prague Castle was built around the year 880 by Prince Borivoj of the house of Premyslides. Its central part, Basilica of St. Vitus, was built on the site of the original rotunda and served as the main castle church since the 11th century. In the following centuries, there were some measures taken aimed at the fortifying of the architectural complex, but it was only under the reign of King Charles IV (the middle of the 14th century) that the whole castle was renovated and expanded.

It was a time of prosperity for Prague Castle, for then it first became an imperial residence, the seat of the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. After the First World War the magnificent palace became the seat of the government of Czechoslovakia, and today the president of the Czech Republic still resides here.

Interestingly, this stunning architectural masterpiece doesn’t belong to a single style: the castle buildings represent every style of architecture of the last millennium, from Roman-style buildings from the 10th century through Gothic modifications in the 14th century.

Located within Prague Castle are St. Vitus Cathedral, Romanesque Basilica of St. George, a monastery and several palaces, gardens and towers, most of which are open for tourists. The latter sounds rather surprising, given that Prague Castle is the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic, which, however, doesn’t seem to bother numerous crowds of tourists at all.

Prague Castle houses several museums, including the National Gallery with its collection of Bohemian baroque, the exhibition dedicated to Czech history, Toy Museum and the picture gallery based on the collection of Rudolph II.

Tours of the castle run rain or shine all year round, so if you happen to take part in one, look around not only for the architecture, as you can spot a famous politician!