Record number of tourists visited Prague Castle last year

The most tourists, 2.6 million, visited the traditional seat of Czech kings and heads of state in 2019. The majority of visitors are foreign. The entire castle complex – including the freely accessible parts and gardens – received a total of more than nine million tourists last year, Máchová noted. Most people visited Hradčany during the summer months.

According to the National Monument Protection Office (NPU), the more than 150 castles and chateaux under its management were visited by 4.3 million visitors last year. This is a six percent increase year-on-year, but still far below the 5.5 million visits achieved in 2018 and 2019.

The order of the most popular monuments has not changed much in recent years. After Prague Castle, Cesky Krumlov Castle in South Bohemia and Lednice Castle in South Moravia follow with about 400 thousand visitors. Third place goes to Hluboká nad Vltavou Castle in South Bohemia with almost 300,000 visitors, while Karlstejn Royal Castle near Prague was visited by more than 200,000 people last year.

The castle is notable for the fact that women were once not allowed to enter it, and at one time it also housed the Czech coronation jewels. These are currently on display in St. Vitus Cathedral in Hradčany, and the treasures are only open to the public for two to three weeks a year.