St. George's Basilica

Inside Prague Castle, St. George’s Basilica is the oldest surviving church building in the complex, founded around 920. Its deep-red Baroque façade gives way to a spare Romanesque interior, where thick stone walls, rounded arches and traces of medieval decoration set a quieter tone than the castle’s grander landmarks. Look for the tombs of Bohemian rulers and St. Ludmila, an early Czech saint. It is a worthwhile stop if you want to see the castle’s earlier architecture as well as its better-known Gothic buildings.

A church with layers of history

St. George’s Basilica stands within Prague Castle and was founded around 920. It is the oldest surviving church building in the castle complex. The church was rebuilt after a major fire in 1142, and its present form reflects changes made over many centuries.

The building is a useful counterpoint to the castle’s better-known Gothic architecture. Its Romanesque structure has heavy stone walls, small windows and rounded arches. The exterior was altered in the Baroque period, giving the church the deep-red façade that distinguishes it from the surrounding buildings. That façade was added between 1671 and 1691.

Inside the basilica

The interior is restrained beside the richly coloured exterior. Look up at the vaulted stone ceiling and notice the thick walls and rounded arches of the nave. Romanesque decoration survives alongside Gothic elements associated with later work, including details from the 14th century. Only remnants of the original ceiling paintings remain.

The basilica has chapels and tombs connected to the Přemyslid dynasty, the Bohemian ruling family. Among those buried here are Vratislav I, who died in 921, and Duke Boleslav II, who died in 999. St. Ludmila, the first female Czech saint and grandmother of St. Wenceslas, is also buried here. Her tomb is one of the main reasons to take time inside rather than only viewing the façade.