Karlštejn

On Saturday, my sister Naty and I made a short hike around the castle Karlštejn, leaving our car at the parking lot below the town and ascending to a hill above the castle from the eastern side. We looped back down to the parking lot by walking towards the river once we reached the castle itself.  

Karlštejn is perhaps the most famous Czech castle outside of Prague thanks to its historical and cultural significance, as well as its characteristic and instantly recognisable exterior – the result of a serendipitously misguided attempt to revert the castle back to its gothic form in the spirit of late nineteenth century purism. It was built in the fourteenth century by Charles IV, the most illustrious ruler of the Czech lands, and one of the few Holy Roman Emperors to spend a significant portion of his life in Bohemia. For several years, it housed the crown jewels of the Holy Roman Empire.        

A pretty garden on my third walk of the week
The town of Karlštejn
More autumn paths
Karlštejn
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A little church in the town of Karlštejn

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