Vysehrad as seen over the Vltava from Cisarska louka 732 cropped

Vyšehrad (German: ''Wyschehrad,'' ''Prager Hochburg'', English: "upper castle") is a historic

fort A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from La ...

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

, just over 3 km southeast of

Prague Castle Prague Castle (; ) is a castle complex in Prague, Czech Republic serving as the official residence and workplace of the president of the Czech Republic. Built in the 9th century, the castle has long served as the seat of power for List of rulers ...

, on the east bank of the Vltava River. It was probably built in the 10th century. Inside the fort are the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul and the Vyšehrad Cemetery, containing the remains of many famous Czechs, such as

Antonín Dvořák Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( ; ; 8September 18411May 1904) was a Czech composer. He frequently employed rhythms and other aspects of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia, following the Romantic-era nationalist example of his predec ...

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 ...

Karel Čapek Karel Čapek (; 9 January 1890 – 25 December 1938) was a Czech writer, playwright, critic and journalist. He has become best known for his science fiction, including his novel '' War with the Newts'' (1936) and play '' R.U.R.'' (''Rossum' ...

, 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, he was widely known for his distinctly stylized ...

. 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. 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 Přemysl (, , ) was a Bohemian royal dynasty that reigned in the Duchy of Bohemia and later Kingdom of Bohemia and Margraviate of Moravia (9th century–1306), as well as in parts of Poland (including Silesia ...

settled on the current site of

, 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 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 (; ) is a town in Tábor District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 7,100 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an Cultural monument (Czech Republic)#Monument zones, ur ...

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 Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, the Papacy, a ...

, the

Hussites upright=1.2, Battle between Hussites (left) and Crusades#Campaigns against heretics and schismatics, Catholic crusaders in the 15th century upright=1.2, The Lands of the Bohemian Crown during the Hussite Wars. The movement began during the Prag ...

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 (; ), was the sixteenth King of Bohemia, who ruled in 1458–1471. He was a leader of the Hussites, but moderate and tolerant toward 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 The Habsburg monarchy, also known as Habsburg Empire, or Habsburg Realm (), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities (composite monarchy) that were ruled by the House of Habsburg. From the 18th century it is ...

took over the

Czech lands The Czech lands or the Bohemian lands (, ) is a historical-geographical term which denotes the three historical regions of Bohemia, Moravia, and Czech Silesia out of which Czechoslovakia, and later the Czech Republic and Slovakia, were formed. ...

after the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in History of Europe, European history. An estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died from battle, famine ...

and remodeled it in 1654 as a

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

fortress, turning it into a training center for the Imperial Army of the Emperor, 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 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

. 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 or neo-Gothic) is an architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half of the 19th century ...

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 In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve refers to the evening, or commonly the entire day, of the last day of the year, 31 December, also known as Old Year's Day. In many countries, New Year's Eve is celebrated with dancing, eating, drinkin ...

. 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 Image:Vyšehrad-rotunda.jpg, Oldest Rotunda of St. Martin from 11th century Image:Pevnost Vyšehrad (3).jpg,

Libuše , Libussa, Libushe or, historically ''Lubossa'', is a legendary ancestor of the Přemyslid dynasty and the Czechs, Czech people as a whole. According to legend, she was the youngest but wisest of three sisters, who became queen after their father ...

'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 ** '' Libuše and Přemysl'' – mythical Czech rulers settled in the 8th century at Vyšehrad ** '' Ctirad and Šárka'' – the characters of the Maidens' War, 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'' – leaders of the rebellion against invasion of the German troops of

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...

, 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 (; before 1620 – 27 May 1680 in Prague), or Jan Jiří Bendl (), was a Bohemian Baroque sculptor, who worked mainly in Prague. He was the son of fellow sculptor Georg Bendl (–1656) and is considered the first important Boh ...

, 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 Praha, Vyšehrad, Mikuláš Karlach - socha.JPG, Mikuláš Karlach

References

External links

Official PageVysehrad Photogallery
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vysehrad Castles in Prague Districts of Prague National cultural monuments of the Czech Republic Prague 2 Forts in the Czech Republic

History

Statues

See also

References

External links