![Vysehrad as seen over the Vltava from Cisarska louka 732 cropped](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Vysehrad_as_seen_over_the_Vltava_from_Cisarska_louka_732_cropped.jpg)
Vyšehrad (
Czech
Czech may refer to:
* Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe
** Czech language
** Czechs, the people of the area
** Czech culture
** Czech cuisine
* One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus'
Places
* Czech, ...
for "upper castle") is a historic
fort
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
in
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and List of cities in the Czech Republic, largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 milli ...
,
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...
, just over 3 km southeast of
Prague Castle
Prague Castle ( cs, Pražský hrad; ) is a castle complex in Prague 1 Municipality within Prague, Czech Republic, built in the 9th century. It is the official office of the President of the Czech Republic. The castle was a seat of power for king ...
, on the east bank of the
Vltava River
Vltava ( , ; german: Moldau ) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, running southeast along the Bohemian Forest and then north across Bohemia, through Český Krumlov, České Budějovice and Prague, and finally merging with the Labe at M ...
. It was probably built in the 10th century. Inside the fort are the
Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul and the
Vyšehrad Cemetery
Vyšehrad ( Czech for "upper castle") is a historic fort in Prague, Czech Republic, just over 3 km southeast of Prague Castle, on the east bank of the Vltava River. It was probably built in the 10th century. Inside the fort are the Basil ...
, containing the remains of many famous Czechs, such as
Antonín Dvořák,
Bedřich Smetana
Bedřich Smetana ( , ; 2 March 1824 – 12 May 1884) was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style that became closely identified with his people's aspirations to a cultural and political "revival." He has been regarded i ...
,
Karel Čapek
Karel Čapek (; 9 January 1890 – 25 December 1938) was a Czech writer, playwright and critic. He has become best known for his science fiction, including his novel '' War with the Newts'' (1936) and play '' R.U.R.'' (''Rossum's Universal ...
, and
Alphonse Mucha
Alfons Maria Mucha (; 24 July 1860 – 14 July 1939), known internationally as Alphonse Mucha, was a Czech painter, illustrator and graphic artist, living in Paris during the Art Nouveau period, best known for his distinctly stylized and decorat ...
. It also contains Prague's oldest Rotunda of St. Martin, from the 11th century.
History
Local legend holds that Vyšehrad was the location of the first settlement which later became Prague, though thus far this claim remains unsubstantiated.
![Vyšehrad coat of arms](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Vy%C5%A1ehrad_coat_of_arms.jpg)
Legend has it that
Duke Krok founded Vyšehrad while looking for a safer seat than in
Budeč. On a steep rock above the Vltava river, he ordered a forest to be cut down and a castle built there. Also according to legend,
Prince Křesomysl imprisoned the knight Horymír at Vyšehrad because he damaged silver mines, and Horymír jumped with his horse Šemík over the walls and from ''Libuše's bath'' into the river.
When the
Přemyslid dynasty
The Přemyslid dynasty or House of Přemyslid ( cs, Přemyslovci, german: Premysliden, pl, Przemyślidzi) was a Bohemian royal dynasty that reigned in the Duchy of Bohemia and later Kingdom of Bohemia and Margraviate of Moravia (9th century–130 ...
settled on the current site of
Prague Castle
Prague Castle ( cs, Pražský hrad; ) is a castle complex in Prague 1 Municipality within Prague, Czech Republic, built in the 9th century. It is the official office of the President of the Czech Republic. The castle was a seat of power for king ...
, the two castles maintained opposing spheres of influence for approximately two centuries. The zenith of Vyšehrad was during the second half of the 11th century, when
Vratislav II
Vratislaus II (or Wratislaus II) ( cs, Vratislav II.) (c. 1032 – 14 January 1092), the son of Bretislaus I of Bohemia, Bretislaus I and Judith of Schweinfurt, was the first King of Bohemia as of 15 June 1085, his royal title granted as a lifeti ...
transferred his seat from Prague Castle to Vyšehrad, and the original fort was remodeled as a complex comprising the sovereign's palatial residence, a church, and the seat of the chapter. The period of growth ended around 1140 when Prince
Soběslav
Soběslav (; german: Sobieslau) is a town in Tábor District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 6,800 inhabitants. The historical town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.
Admi ...
moved his seat back to Prague Castle.
[Ehrenberger, Tomaš ''The Most Beautiful 88 Castles'', pg. 114, Kartografie Praha a.s., ]
When Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV began to build the Prague Castle in its current dimensions in the early 14th century, the deteriorating Vyšehrad was abandoned as a royal seat. Later the whole complex was renewed by Charles IV and new fortifications, with two gates and a royal palace were built, while the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul awaited repair. At the beginning of the
Hussite Wars
The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars or the Hussite Revolution, were a series of civil wars fought between the Hussites and the combined Catholic forces of Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, the Papacy, European monarchs loyal to the Cat ...
, the
Hussites
The Hussites ( cs, Husité or ''Kališníci''; "Chalice People") were a Czech proto-Protestant Christian movement that followed the teachings of reformer Jan Hus, who became the best known representative of the Bohemian Reformation.
The Huss ...
conquered and ransacked Vyšehrad in 1420. The troops of King
George of Poděbrady
George of Kunštát and Poděbrady (23 April 1420 – 22 March 1471), also known as Poděbrad or Podiebrad ( cs, Jiří z Poděbrad; german: Georg von Podiebrad), was the sixteenth King of Bohemia, who ruled in 1458–1471. He was a leader of the ...
did the same in 1448. The castle was then abandoned and became ruined. It underwent a renovation in the 17th century, when the
Habsburg monarchy took over the
Czech lands
The Czech lands or the Bohemian lands ( cs, České země ) are the three historical regions of Bohemia, Moravia, and Czech Silesia. Together the three have formed the Czech part of Czechoslovakia since 1918, the Czech Socialist Republic since ...
after the
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battle ...
and remodeled it in 1654 as a
Baroque fortress, turning it into a training center for the
Austrian Army
The Austrian Armed Forces (german: Bundesheer, lit=Federal Army) are the combined military forces of the Republic of Austria.
The military consists of 22,050 active-duty personnel and 125,600 reservists. The military budget is 0.74% of nati ...
, and later incorporating it into the Baroque city walls.
The present form of Vyšehrad as a fortified residence, with powerful brick ramparts, bastions, and the Tábor and Leopold gates, is a result of Baroque remodeling. The Cihelná brána (Brick gate) is an Empire-style structure, dating from 1841. The main part of the Špička Gate, parts of the Romanesque bridge, and the ruined Gothic lookout tower known as Libušina lázeň (Libuše's Bath) are the only fragments that have been preserved from the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
. The Romanesque rotunda of St. Martin dates from the second half of the 11th century. The 11th century Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, which dominates Vyšehrad, was remodeled in the second half of the 14th century and again in 1885 and 1887 in
neo-Gothic
Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
style.
Vyšehrad and the area around it became part of the capital city in 1883. The area is one of the
cadastral districts of the city.
By the twenty-first century, Vyšehrad has become a public park that is a popular site for recreation and celebrations. For example, it is a popular place for Czechs to celebrate
New Year's Eve.
Image:Vysehrad Kapitulni chram sv. Petra a Pavla.jpg, Front of the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul
Image:Vysehrad_hrbitov_cemetary1.JPG, Vyšehrad Cemetery
Image:Devil s column Vysehrad Prague CZ 836.jpg, Devil's Column
Devil's Column (Czech: Čertův sloup) is a formation of three stone columns, located in Vyšehrad, Prague, Czech Republic.
For the first time, it was mentioned in the book ''Bellum hussiticum'' as fragments of one column, standing on the cemeter ...
Image:Vyšehrad-rotunda.jpg, Oldest Rotunda of St. Martin from 11th century
Image:Pevnost Vyšehrad (3).jpg, Libuše's bath
Image:Brick Gate Vysehrad Prague CZ 742.jpg, Brick Gate at Vyšehrad
Statues
*
Josef Václav Myslbek's statues south of the church, originally from
Palacký Bridge
The Palacký Bridge (1876) () is a bridge in Prague. It is one of the oldest functioning bridges over the Vltava in Prague after the Charles Bridge.
It was built as the third major bridge shortly after the 1868 opening of the Franz Joseph Bridg ...
** ''
Libuše and Přemysl'' – mythical Czech rulers settled in the 8th century at Vyšehrad
** ''
Ctirad and Šárka
''Ctirad and Šárka'' (Czech: ''Ctirad a Šárka'') is an outdoor sculpture by Josef Václav Myslbek, installed at Vyšehradské sady in Vyšehrad, Prague, Czech Republic. It depicts Ctirad and Šárka of Slavic mythology and the Bohemian tale ''T ...
'' – the characters of
the Maidens' War
"The Maidens' War" ( cs, Dívčí válka) is a tale in Bohemian tradition about an uprising of women against men. According to legend, it took place sometime in the 8th century. It first appeared in the twelfth-century ''Chronica Boëmorum'' ...
, when women after the death of Libuše built the castle ''Děvín'' lying on the opposite hill of the Vyšehrad
** ''
Lumír and Píseň'' – Lumír was a legendary famous singer who refused to sing celebration song after the Maidens' War ended to the winning men and instead of it sang about the famous Vyšehrad
** ''
Záboj and Slavoj
''Záboj and Slavoj'' (Czech: ''Záboj a Slavoj'') is an outdoor sculpture by Josef Václav Myslbek, installed at Vyšehradské sady in Vyšehrad, Prague, Czech Republic. It depicts the heroic brothers from the manuscripts of Dvůr Králové and ...
'' – leaders of the rebellion against invasion of the German troops of
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first ...
, allegedly led the victorious battle in 805
*
Statue of Mikuláš Karlach, Karlach's sets
*
Statue of Saint Wenceslas by
Johann Georg Bendl
Johann-Georg Bendl () or Jan Jiří Bendl () (before 1620 in architecture, 1620 - Prague, 27 May 1680 in architecture, 1680) was a Baroque sculptor, who worked mainly in Prague.
He was the son of the Bohemian sculptor Georg Bendl (born ca. 1570, ...
, northwest bastion
*
Bust of Václav Štulc, near ''Nové proboštství'' building
Prague, Czech Republic, April 2016 - 453.jpg, Libuše and Přemysl
083 Els herois Ctirad i Šárka, de Josef Myslbek.jpg, Ctirad and Šárka
Prague, Czech Republic, April 2016 - 454.jpg, Lumír and Píseň
082 Els herois Záboj i Slavoj, de Josef Myslbek.jpg, Záboj and Slavoj
See also
*
Battle of Vyšehrad
The Battle of Vyšehrad was a series of engagements at the start of the Hussite War between Hussite forces and Catholic crusaders sent by Emperor Sigismund. The battle took place at the castle of Vyšehrad from 16 August 1419 to c. 1 November 14 ...
*
Libuše
*
Má vlast
''Má vlast'' (), also known as ''My Fatherland'', is a set of six symphonic poems composed between 1874 and 1879 by the Czech composer Bedřich Smetana. The six pieces, conceived as individual works, are often presented and recorded as a single ...
(symphonic poem by
Bedřich Smetana
Bedřich Smetana ( , ; 2 March 1824 – 12 May 1884) was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style that became closely identified with his people's aspirations to a cultural and political "revival." He has been regarded i ...
including a movement ''Vyšehrad'')
*
Church of Our Lady on the Lawn
The Gothic Church of Our Lady on the Lawn (Na Slupi) is located in the valley of the Prague Botič Stream below Vyšehrad in the New Town. It is quite a small Gothic building which was built beside the monastery of Servites. The church is dedicat ...
References
External links
Official PageVysehrad Photogallery
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vysehrad
Castles in Prague
Districts of Prague
National Cultural Monuments of the Czech Republic