Vysehrad Sights | Prague Sightseeing

Perched on a cliff high above the fabled Vltava and easily recognizable by the twin Gothic spires of St. Peter and Paul is Vysehrad, the mythical birthplace of Prague. Legend has it that in the 7th century princess Libuse and her husband Premysl reigned the land from Vysehrad, Princess Lubise envisioned and prophesized the great city of Prague, saying, I can see a great city, whose fame will reach the stars. With no evidence from the 7th century, one can only belief in Libuse, however, evidence has been found from the 11th century and Vysehrad was the seat of the first Bohemian King . The Royals then moved their residence to the famed Prague Castle, but the importance of Vysehrad was not forgotten. Under the rule of Charles IV, he made it customary that every future King of Bohemia must first go to Vysehrad the day prior to his coronation. Charles IV also commissioned the construction of a grand palace with a massive fortification including towers and gates, and the Church of St. Peter and Paul (the Church was rebuilt in the New Gothic style at the end of the 19th century). The structures of Vysehrad were destroyed during the defeat of King Zikmund by the Hussites in 1420. Only the gate of Spicka is preserved, as well as the Rotunda of St. Martin. In the 17th century Ferdinand III built a Baroque citadel, the interesting underground corridors are accessible to the public and the imposing gates are impressive. There are many legends connected with Vysehrad, including the bath of Libuse, The column of the Devil and the Vysehrad hidden cave treasure.

The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul Exterior | Prague Historicism
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The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul

Perched imposingly atop the mystical Vysehrad fortress and impressively dominating the area is the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, a recognized landmark with its slender neo Gothic double spires. Construction of the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul started in the 11th century for the Czech nobility, the church was originally Romanesque. The beloved Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV had the structure rebuilt in the Gothic style in the 14th century, with a Baroque renovation following in the 1720s; Josef Mocker introduced the neo Gothic style in 1895 during a renovation. At the end of the 19th cen ...

Prague Cubist Architecture | Kovarovic Villa
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Kovarovic Villa

Located under the imposing rocks of Vysehrad is a small area home to an interesting assembly of buildings, the neo Classical Villa by Emil Kralicek, the Sequens Villa, Modern in design, by Otakar Novotny, and the impressive Cubist Kovarovic Villa by Josef Chochol. Kovarovic Villa is a must see for lovers of architecture, following of course, a viewing of the House of the Black Madonna. The villa is a wonderful expression of Cubism, inspired by the works of Braque and Picasso. Not only is the house Cubist in design, so is the garden layout and flowerbeds, the surrounding metal fence, and even ...

Vysehrad Fortress | Vysehrad | Church
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Vysehrad Fortress

The old fortress of Vysehrad was founded in the second half of the 10th century. Vysehrad was the main seat of the Premysl Princes in the second half of the 11th century and the first half of the 12th century, when most construction of the site occurred. You can visit the valuable Roman rotunda of St. Martin from the 11th century, the oldest surviving building in Prague, the Gothic St. Peter and Paul Church (rebuilt in the new Gothic style at the end of the 19th century and decorated with colorful Art Nouveau frescoes in the 1920s), and the Vysehrad Slavin Cemetery, used as the burial grounds ...

The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul Exterior | Prague Historicism
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The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul

Perched imposingly atop the mystical Vysehrad fortress and impressively dominating the area is the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, a recognized landmark with its slender neo Gothic double spires. Construction of the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul started in the 11th century for the Czech nobility, the church was originally Romanesque. The beloved Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV had the structure rebuilt in the Gothic style in the 14th century, with a Baroque renovation following in the 1720s; Josef Mocker introduced the neo Gothic style in 1895 during a renovation. At the end of the 19th cen ...

Prague Cubist Architecture | Kovarovic Villa
Read more

Kovarovic Villa

Located under the imposing rocks of Vysehrad is a small area home to an interesting assembly of buildings, the neo Classical Villa by Emil Kralicek, the Sequens Villa, Modern in design, by Otakar Novotny, and the impressive Cubist Kovarovic Villa by Josef Chochol. Kovarovic Villa is a must see for lovers of architecture, following of course, a viewing of the House of the Black Madonna. The villa is a wonderful expression of Cubism, inspired by the works of Braque and Picasso. Not only is the house Cubist in design, so is the garden layout and flowerbeds, the surrounding metal fence, and even ...

Vysehrad Fortress | Vysehrad | Church
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Vysehrad Fortress

The old fortress of Vysehrad was founded in the second half of the 10th century. Vysehrad was the main seat of the Premysl Princes in the second half of the 11th century and the first half of the 12th century, when most construction of the site occurred. You can visit the valuable Roman rotunda of St. Martin from the 11th century, the oldest surviving building in Prague, the Gothic St. Peter and Paul Church (rebuilt in the new Gothic style at the end of the 19th century and decorated with colorful Art Nouveau frescoes in the 1920s), and the Vysehrad Slavin Cemetery, used as the burial grounds ...