Karlštejn Castle ****************************************************************************************** * ****************************************************************************************** By Jan Malý „With a great honor and pride, an educated Czech looks at the Karlštein Castle, the work o venerable Emperor Charles. There could be no better monuments to the mighty King that took care of the country consigned to him by the Lord, and made it equal to the best educated e time, than those made by himself.” That’s how the description of the Karlštejn Castle begi book Castles, Chateaus and Strongholds in the Kingdom of Bohemia by August Sedláček. Indee Castle is one of the most important and best known heritage sites in the country, and it’s that attracts most visitors (except the Prague Castle). What has, however, made this castl the rocky hill over the Berounka River some twenty kilometers from Prague, this famous? Th – it was the persona of its founder, Emperor Charles IV, and the castle’s unique position Bohemia. The castle was founded in 1348, in the year where Charles’s foundation work was at its bes tradition goes, the accurate date was June 10. The foundation stone was laid by the Prague Ernest of Pardubice, on Charles’s behalf. This fact also proves that Charles considered th important. Karlštejn was ready to permanent residence since the mid-1350s approximately. T of the project completion is March 27, 1357, as the Chapel of Our Lady was consecrated, an Chapter was established. Art works at the castle went on until mid-1360s. Karlštejn was de the place of the emperor’s final rest, but primarily a giant jewelry box, guarding the mos treasures of the Holy Roman Empire, especially the imperial coronation jewels, and saint r The location of Karlštejn is rather specific; it’s affected by the needs of the royal cour the true function of the castle. It was built in three basic segments, in different vertic different purposes. The lowest level consists mainly of residential and service areas. It Burgrave House, which hasn’t preserved in its original medieval form due to the reconstruc century, and, behind the gate and the castle wall, also the imperial palace. The second fl featured “the Luxembourgian Family Tree” in the Middle Ages, depicting the members of the their ancestor, both real and imaginary ones. Unfortunately, the family tree didn’t surviv reconstructions of the castle; yet its form is depicted in the Heidelberg Codex. The second level features the Marian Tower, with the Chapel of Our Lady adorned by monumen Revelation depictions, and the “Relics motifs”. Adjacent is another sacral area, now conse king’s favorite saint, St, Catherine (originally the Chapel of Holy Martyrdom Relics). Fin level features the Great Tower with the Chapel of the Holy Cross, the place to store the i Charles himself made several changes of the plans during the construction, so the purpose and areas changed during the 1350s. For example, the establishment of the Chapter in 1357 in the minor tower that had been almost finished at that time, especially by turning sever to sacral ones. In the early 1360s, it was decided to store here the imperial treasure, in precious items – the crown jewels. For this purpose, the Chapel of the Holy Cross was buil Tower between 1357 and 1365, with specific mode of operation. The Chapel of the Holy Cross is the most sacred and worthiest area in the castle. As a roo precious jewels, relics and other sacred items, the operations of the chapel were governed provisions. The access was granted to a special group of people only, and it was subject t Ban, famously (and, let’s face it, a bit too dramatically) depicted in the play A Night at Jaroslav Vrchlický. As we may read in the constitution of the Karlštejn Chapter, “in the t Karlštejn Castle, where the memorable chapel is located, no one is allowed to sleep or lie even with his lawful wife.” The emperor has the sacred area decorated in a great style. Th with precious stones arranged in crosses, surrounded by gold. Also the vault of the chapel symbolize the starry sky. Probably the worthiest part of the decoration features the set o panels made by Master Theodoric between 1357 and 1365 (the complete set included 130 panel got unfortunately lost). The panels depict saints, church fathers and kings, gathered toge army of Christ (including the apostles, St. Charlemagne, St. Ludmila, St. Catherine, St. J These decorations are completed with the altar depicting the Crucifixion, and the triptych Modena. The most sacred area of the chapel, with the alcove to store the jewels, is separa The stairway to the chapel displays mural paintings with scenes from the lives of St. Wenc Ludmila. After the death of Charles IV, the castle was used by his son, King Wenceslas IV (1378–141 the Bohemian crown jewels were stored here, until the beginning of the Hussite wars, and t the start of the Thirty Years’ War. In 1422, Karlštejn resisted the siege by Hussite troop 15th and 16th century, the castle went through a series of adjustments and reconstructions the original form of Karlštejn to a certain point. Yet the castle retained its importance of Bohemia for quite a long period. In addition to the royal crown jewels, it was also use of the Land Records, after the fire in the Lesser Town in 1541. The castle was reconstruct the end of the 19th century; the major reconstruction started in 1887. Most of the adjustm by architect Josef Mocker, who was in charge of the purist reconstruction of Karlštejn bet 1899. Though some changes weren’t entirely in line with the original form, the reconstruct deteriorating building. These days Karlštejn is one of the most popular tourist destinatio Republic, visited by hundreds of thousands people from all over the world. Bibliography: BAREŠ, Petr a kol. Karlštejn a jeho význam v dějinách a kultuře. Praha: Národní památkový FAJT, Jiří. Posvátné prostory hradu Karlštejna. Praha: Národní památkový ústav, 2010. FIŠER, František. Karlštejn: vzájemné vztahy tří karlštejnských kaplí. Kostelní Vydří: Kar 1996. KUBŮ, Naděžda. Hrad Karlštejn. Praha: Památkový ústav středních Čech, 2001.