Karlstejn Castle - Karlstejn, Czech Republic
Posted by: 
ToRo61
N 49° 56.322 E 014° 11.448
33U E 441933 N 5532128
Karlstejn Castle
Waymark Code: WMTZ3F
Location: Středočeský kraj, Czechia
Date Posted: 01/26/2017
Views: 35
The castle, exceptional even among the Czech castles, not only for its historical significance but also due to its robustness and architecture. It was established by the Czech and Roman King Karel IV in 1348, who gave it the role of the treasury for the coronation insignia and the most valuable relics of the Holy Roman Empire. The basic construction of the Karlštejn castle took more than seven years, and the internal adjustments of the Chapel of the St. Cross were prolonged until 1365. The castle fortification ought to have resisted any attacks in its time, which was confirmed in 1422 when Karlštejn was besieged by Prague citizens.
The individual parts of the castle are situated at the various height levels, which display their significance. The castle is dominated by a massive prismatic tower, called Great, whose floor plan consists of sides of 25 and 17 meters. The average wall thickness is 4 meters, reaching over 6 meters on the northern side. The main space of this tower and the whole castle is occupied by the Chapel of St. Cross. Along the lower part of its walls runs a strip of semiprecious stones embedded in a gilded stucco. The vault fronts contain panels created largely by Master Theodorik, which are Gothic paintings of world repute. The unique collection of about 127 paintings represents "the entire army of heavens", ideal or approximate portraits of the saints, holy popes, and bishops, the Knights of the Theban League, holy rulers and church teachers.
Visit Instructions:
Please provide another photo of the location. You don't have to be in there shot, but you can. The photo requirement is to discourage any armchair visiting.