Views from Vyšehrad – a 3km tour of the first Bohemian King’s fortress

It is impossible to ignore the 17th century brick walls and gates of Vyšehrad fortress. They loom high over the southerly approaches to the Czech capital, designed to impress and intimidate those travelling by boat along the Vltava or by road from Tábor. Yet, whilst Vyšehrad might at first sight appear to be a classic Baroque city fort, its origins go back to the very beginning of the Bohemian kingdom.
When the Slavic Přemyslid dynasty started to gain control of central Bohemia in the 9th and 10th centuries, they established twin fortresses to control the western and eastern banks of the river Vltava: Prague castle on the left bank and Vyšehrad on the right. Prague castle probably came first, but in the 11th century, Vladislav II decided to transfer his seat to Vyšehrad and remodeled the fort as royal palace. Vladislav was the first Přemyslid ruler to be given the title King of Bohemia.
However, by the 12th century, Vyšehrad was in decline, badly in need of repairs. Charles IV made some significant improvements in the following century, but the fortress was again badly damaged during the Hussite Wars of the 15th century and it was not until the Habsburg rulers re-established control of Bohemia after the 17th century Thirty Years War, that Vyšehrad was given its final re-modelling. Little remains of its medieval origins, but the Romanesque rotunda chapel survived intact and dates from the 11th century.
Today, Vyšehrad is a popular but small park area. A walk around the full site can take less than an hour, but it is still well worth the trip. The highlight is a complete circumference of the battlement walls, with the consequent 360 degree views. In the center of the park stands the twin spired neo-Gothic Church of St Peter and Paul, and just behind the church lies the extraordinary national cemetery, which is open to the public. Here lie the remains of many famous Czechs, including the composers Dvořák and Smetana, and the artist Alfons Mucha.
There are several entrance points to the fortress area, but using the main approach along Vratislavova street and passing through the main gate (Cihelná brána) is the easiest, especially if arriving by tram (disembark at the Výtoň tram stop). The route shown on the map and described below avoids the step sections and can be easily managed with a stroller. There are several refreshment options inside the fortress walls, but the bistro café overlooking the rotunda is recommended for its nice quiet garden and views.

Note: click ‘Show on Mapy.com’ to go to a full screen version of the route directly on the mapy.com site. This can be used for on line navigation, saved or exported as a GPX file.

Directions

Starting at the Výtoň tram stop, cross under the railway and start the approach along Vratislavova street (signposts to Vyšehrad)
Pass through the Cihelná brána to enter the fortress area. Continue on the main path for 300m until reaching the rotunda
At the rotunda take the path that leads onto the wall. Follow the wall anticlockwise until reaching the open-air theatre
At the theatre cross the small shady Štulcovy park to the far corner to visit the cemetary area
Return back to the wall to continue the rest of the walk along the battlements
After completing the full circumference (arriving back at the rotunda) take a moment to visit the interior of the park, view the statues, take some refreshments, before returning along the main path through the Cihelná brána to get back to the tram stop