Karlštejn Castle has opened new areas to visitors

From summer 2008, the third floor of the Great Tower at the legendary Karlštejn castle, which is stocked with historical articles and weapons, is officially opened.

What is more, visitors can view a model of the castle, as if from a bird’s-eye view.

This Gothic castle was founded in 1348 and has a rather unique position among Czech castles. Karlštejn Castle was built by the Czech king and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV as a place for the safekeeping of the royal treasures, especially Charles’s collection of holy relics and the coronation jewels of the Holy Roman Empire. The preserved original step-like layout of the castle buildings is also very impressive. From the Forecastle, Well Tower and Burgrave’s Palace, located at the lowest level, the castle structure continues to the majestic five-storied Imperial Palace, and then further up to the Marian Tower. Finally, at the top of the rocky promontory, stands the monumental 60 metre high, separately fortified Great Tower.

Entirely unique also are the original decoration of wall paintings dating back to the 14th century, the collection of 129 panel paintings by Master Theodoric in the Chapel of the Holy Cross (the largest of their kind in the world), the largest portrait gallery of Czech rulers in the country, an exhibition with a replica of the St. Wenceslas coronation crown of the Czech Kings, as well as the unique castle well.