Dotted all around the stunning city of Prague are many marvellous attractions that can each make an amazing adventure of their own, today, I am talking about one of my favourites: Vyšehrad. This fortress sits along the River Vltava and commands an imposing position, with great sightlines it surely would have been a formidable defensive position, but it also has a collection of charming and picture-perfect buildings dotted atop and around its star-patterned walls. Plus, its serene green spaces make for the perfect place to take a breather away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre and unwind in the shade of the gently swaying trees in one of the multiple grassy squares.
Vyšehrad is found on the southern end of the city centre, a little walk away from the main shopping thoroughfares of Prague 1 and the Old Town, it is perhaps most easily (and most picturesquely) via the River Vltava. We happened to be more inland when we planned our visit, cutting through a section of the university before joining up with the fortress from the gate at Cihelná Brána, the Brick Gate, on the north side of the fortress. Being an ancient fortress, the area has limited parking, so you may be better off parking elsewhere in the city and making your way on foot, or via public transport. Speaking of public transport, the trams circle the northern side of the fortress with the Výtoň and Albertov stops not being too far from the Brick Gate, so getting here from across the city shouldn't pose too much trouble.
Our journey into Vyšehrad starts at the Brick Gate, which if you have time for a tour forms part of the Casemates and the Gorlice Hall, which follows a curving road up into the fortress. We took an immediate right, up the gentle path beneath the shade of the trees before cutting back on ourselves and linking up with the first green space of our visit. Immediately we were greeted with a collection of statues and sculptures, a trail of sharks across the grass and beyond some more traditional statues. We dropped down the sloped lane to the Rotunda sv. Martina, then along the road to the Leopoldova brána, Leopold Gate - just about every angle of the outer walls is spectacular here, and they are only set to get better!
Back into the Vyšehrad via the Leopold Gate and up the hill to our left, we ascended to the top of the walls where the first views out over the river greeted us. There will be a couple of great vantage points along the way, and each of them is well worth the time to check them out - especially on a glorious summer's day like we got to enjoy. Along the top of the walls and back down again, we headed into the parks and green spaces, stopping for a refreshment at U svatého Matouše, a few bottles of water and an ice cream, before circling our way through the next gorgeous green space, Vyšehradské sady, before cutting back to the walls near the Staré Purkrabství building to check out yet another set of breathtaking views! One is at the corner, marked on the map above overlooking the Ruins of Libuse's Bath, the second is just down the hill with the toposcope-esc map of the bridges along the river, this spot has great views all the way to Prague Castle. I do think of all the best viewpoints around the city, Vyšehrad has some of the best, especially because although places like Prague Castle have incredible ones, the problem with them is you can't see Prague Castle!
Back into the large green area at Vyšehradské sady, once again littered with statues and little pieces of history to check out, but it is hard not to be drawn towards the towering spires of Bazilika svatého Petra a Pavla, Saints Peter and Paul Basilica. This beautiful church and the surrounding well-manicured cemetery really help to drive home just how historic the area is, and if you aren't one for looking to the past you are likely to enjoy the sound of the bells ringing out. You can also take a tour of the inside of the church, which is just as ornate and beautiful as the exterior. In fact, there are plenty of tour options and interiors to explore dotted all around Vyšehrad, with the Casemates and the Gorlice Hall mentioned above, Saints Peter and Paul Basilica, but also places like Staré Purkrabství (the Old Burgrave’s House), the exhibition at Gotický sklep (Gothic Cellar), and Galerie Vyšehrad (Vyšehrad Gallery) although this was closed at the time of our visit for reconstruction.
So how did Vyšehrad come to be? Unconfirmed local legends state that Vyšehrad was the site of the original settlement that would become Prague, with other legends stating that Duke Krok wanted a safer replacement for the settlement Budeč and had a forest cleared from the site to build a castle - this legend dates the fortification to 683, making it potentially nearly 200 years older than Prague Castle. Both Vyšehrad and Prague Castle maintained their influence over the growing city, with either being used as the main seat of power in the area over time. Vratislaus II of Bohemia made the first major modifications to the fortification, transforming it into a complex including a palatial residence and a church with modifications continuing until Prince Soběslav moved his seat back to Prague Castle. By the 14th century, Vyšehrad was more or less abandoned due to its poor state, but Charles IV renewed the fortifications - unfortunately just in time for the Hussite Wars. The ransacking by Hussites as well as King George of Poděbrady left the fort a ruin. It would remain this way until the 17th century, when the Habsburgs would be renovated as a Baroguq fortress, functioning as a training centre. This remodelling would give Vyšehrad its modern-day appearance, with only a handful of features, mostly ruins, predating it (such as Libuse's Bath). Now the fortress is a public park and free for residents of the city and tourists to explore as they please.
Once you've had your fill you are free to either double back the way you came from or take one of the many gates and routes out, we were crossing the river from our starting point at the Brick Gate, so we descended from Vyšehrad down the stairs to the riverfront so we could cross at the train bridge and continue onwards. That being said, you could very easily make a day here, taking all of the various tours and enjoying the peace of the gorgeous green spaces. While I do love a good city break, and Prague is a damn fine example of one, being able to get away from the loudness and crowded spaces for something a little calmer is always welcome and having something like Vyšehrad be so accessible from the city centre makes it an absolute gem. It combines all of the things I love in a day out, gorgeous views, amazing history and plenty of options for exploring to your heart's content!
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