Basilica of St George, Prague Castle
Bolted onto a candy-red Baroque face is Bohemia's oldest surviving church interior — bare Romanesque stone that has looked essentially unchanged since the 1140s. Most visitors rush past it on the way to St Vitus. Don't.
Bohemia’s oldest surviving church
Prince Vratislaus I founded the basilica around 920, as Prague Castle's second church; his son Wenceslaus I completed it. In 973 Mlada, sister of the ruling Duke Boleslaus II, returned from Rome with papal approval for an independent Bohemian bishopric and founded St George's Convent right beside it — Bohemia's first monastic community, with Mlada as its first abbess. A fire in 1142 forced a rebuild, finished by 1151, which gave the church the plain Romanesque form and twin towers — nicknamed “Adam” and “Eve” — that survive today. The red Baroque facade everyone photographs was added in the late 17th century, credited to the architect Francesco Carati; a restoration in 1887–1908 then stripped later additions from the interior to expose the original Romanesque fabric.
A royal burial ground
Before St Vitus Cathedral took over the role, this basilica was where the Přemyslid dynasty buried its dead. Named tombs in the nave include founder Vratislaus I, Boleslaus II, and Prince Jaromír. It also holds the tomb of St Ludmila, grandmother and Christian tutor of St Wenceslas — strangled on her daughter-in-law's orders in 921, her remains were later moved here by her grandson.
The visitor's cheat sheet
| Where | Náměstí U Svatého Jiří, within Prague Castle, just east of St Vitus Cathedral |
|---|---|
| Getting there | Tram 22 to Pražský hrad, or Malostranská metro plus the Old Castle Steps |
| Opening hours | 1 April–31 October 9am–5pm; 1 November–31 March 9am–4pm; last admission 30 minutes before closing. The outer castle grounds stay open 06:00–22:00, free, well beyond these hours |
| Admission | Only as part of the Prague Castle Main circuit ticket — 450 Kč adult, 300 Kč reduced, 950 Kč family — which also covers St Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace and Golden Lane. Not sold separately |
| How long | 15–20 minutes for the basilica itself |
| Best time | At opening, or after 3–4pm once tour groups thin out |
| Dress code | Only “heavily soiled clothing” is formally prohibited by the castle's own rules; modest dress is a reasonable courtesy |
| Photography | Permitted, but a purchased photo licence is required inside most castle interiors, and flash, tripods and lighting equipment are banned |
Hours and admission checked against the official site in September 2026. They change; the official site is always the last word.
The one thing people get wrong. Visitors treat this as a five-minute detour on the way to St Vitus and expect the ornate red exterior to continue inside. It doesn't — the interior is deliberately bare Romanesque stone, a completely different building behind the same wall. It's also not sold as a standalone ticket; it only comes as part of the full castle circuit.
Tickets and tours
Book the castle circuit in advance
St George's is bundled into the single Prague Castle ticket, and walk-up queues at the ticket office can run well over half an hour in summer. Booking online, or as part of a guided castle tour, gets you through a separate line.
Tour and hotel links go to GetYourGuide and Booking.com. This site earns nothing from them at present — they are here because they are the quickest way to check what is actually available.
Don't miss
- The red twin-tower facade “Adam,” the wider south tower, and “Eve,” the narrower north one, which leans about 40cm off vertical — the most photographed element of the building.
- The bare Romanesque nave and crypt Stripped back to its 12th-century form in the 1887–1908 restoration — the plainest, oldest church interior in Prague.
- St Ludmila's chapel and tomb Bohemia's first female martyr-saint, grandmother of St Wenceslas.
- The Přemyslid tombs Vratislaus I, Boleslaus II and Jaromír, all in the main nave.
- The Chapel of St John of Nepomuk A Baroque insertion from 1718–22 by architect František Maxmilián Kaňka, set inside the otherwise unadorned Romanesque shell.
Insider tips
The courtyards stay open long after the interiors close. Prague Castle's grounds are free and open until 10pm, well past the 9am–5pm building hours — you can see the red facade in golden evening light for nothing, even after St George's itself has shut.
If interior photos matter to you, budget for a photo licence and leave the tripod at the hotel — both flash and tripods are banned throughout the castle's interiors regardless.
Common questions
Whose tombs are in the Basilica of St George?
Founder Vratislaus I, Boleslaus II and Prince Jaromír, all in the main nave, plus St Ludmila — grandmother and Christian tutor of St Wenceslas, strangled in 921 and later moved here by her grandson.
Why does the inside look so different from the outside?
The red facade everyone photographs is 17th-century Baroque, but the interior was stripped back to bare 12th-century Romanesque stone in an 1887–1908 restoration. Visitors expecting the ornate exterior to continue inside are often caught out.
Can I buy a ticket just for St George's Basilica?
No. It’s only available as part of the single Prague Castle circuit ticket, which also covers St Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace and Golden Lane.
How long does a visit take?
15–20 minutes for the basilica itself.
Can I see the building after the castle interiors close?
Yes — the outer castle grounds stay open until 10pm, well past the 9am–5pm building hours, so you can see the red facade in golden evening light for nothing.
Where to stay and eat nearby
You're inside Prague Castle, in Hradčany — quiet, expensive, and a short walk from the Loreta and Strahov. For dinner, head down into Malá Strana, where the choice and the prices both improve.
Nearby churches
- St Vitus Cathedral — a two-minute walk within the same courtyard
- The Loreta — a walk downhill and out of the castle grounds
- Strahov Monastery — further along the same hillside