Description of the attraction
Karlštejn bears the name of its founder and builder Charles IV, the Czech king and emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. The construction of the castle began in 1348, the same year that Charles IV founded the first university in Central Europe in Prague. Karlštejn did not emerge as the administrative center of royal estates, or as a royal residence. From the very beginning of its foundation, it has been identified as a repository of royal treasures, in particular, the imperial coronation regalia.
The castle is located on the top next to the Berounka river. It is surrounded on four sides by other hills, which is strategically very advantageous. The invaders never took it by storm. They say that the site for the construction was determined by Karel IV himself.
Karlstein has his own "heart". This is the chapel of the Holy Cross. Three years ago, it was reopened to the public after 19 years of renovation. The Chapel of the Holy Cross is decorated with 130 easel paintings from the workshop of the famous court painter of the era of Charles IV, Master Theodoric. This collection is a unique Gothic gallery that has survived to this day. The walls and vault of the chapel are covered with gilded plaster, into which semi-precious stones and glass bubbles are inserted. The dome of the chapel gives the impression of a vault of heaven with many stars, a moon and the sun. It is not surprising that the chroniclers of that time described the chapel of the Holy Cross as a unique beauty all over the world.
