Prague Castle: Basilica of St. George

The Basilica of St. George is the oldest surviving church building inside Prague Castle since year 920. Right in the heart of the castle complex, it is also the best-preserved Romanesque church in Czech Republic.

With its striking brick-red colour baroque facade, it is hard to miss when you arrive at the St. George Square. The Short Visit ticket includes admission to the basilica, so I didn't miss visiting inside.

The interior was restored to the oldish look since the 12^th century after the major fire in year 1142.

Some of the 12^th-century frescoes do survive until today and they were restored as much as possible.

Under these frescoes; beneath the double staircases of the nave, is the 12^th-century crypt.

Prague Castle

Prague Castle would be on the top of the list of itinerary for any tourist visiting Prague. Visiting Prague without going to the Prague Castle is not complete. Sitting on top of the hill, the castle is visible from any angle along Vltava River.

It is free-of-charge to roam the castle ground, but there are some entrance fees to pay to go inside the buildings. There are several types of ticket, and I opted for the Short Visit which costs 250 CZK (about RM50). I paid another 50 CZK (about RM10) for the Photo License. Without the Photo License, you are not allowed to take photos inside the buildings. The Czechs really have a way of reaping the tourists! Note the small camera stamp on the ticket for the Photo License.

The Short Visit ticket includes the admission to four sights. The main sight has to be the St. Vitus Cathedral. However, entering the foyer of the cathedral is free-of-charge. To go further into the nave, admission ticket is required.

The other three sights that the Short Visit ticket cover are the Basilica of St. George,

Old Royal Palace, and

Golden Lane.

I will blog about these sights in more details in my impending posts. Please stay tuned.