Prague Castle

Also known as Pražský hrad

Prague Castle is the largest coherent castle complex in the world, covering roughly 70,000 square meters. In 1618, Protestant nobles threw two Catholic Habsburg governors out of a castle window in what became known as the Defenestration of Prague, triggering the Thirty Years' War.

Prague Castle is the largest castle complex in the world at 70,000 square meters, and its history runs from 9th-century Premyslid foundations through the Habsburg period when Rudolf II moved the entire imperial court here in 1583, to 1618 when Protestant nobles defenestrated two Habsburg governors from a window and triggered the Thirty Years’ War, to 1942 when Nazi Reich Protector Reinhard Heydrich ran occupied Czechoslovakia from here until his assassination by Czech and Slovak paratroopers. St. Vitus Cathedral, begun 1344, completed 1929. Grounds free 6:00-22:00; interiors paid, check hrad.cz. Tram to Pohořelec or walk up from Malá Strana.