A stones throw away from St Vitus cathedral this maze of grandeur was the home of royalty from the founding days of the castle. Entry to this building is from the third courtyard on the south side of the cathedral. If you have bought a pass to the castle complex your ticket will include this palace.

Built up over 800 years the reigns of Premysls, Luxembourgs, Jagellonians and Hapsburgs have all left their mark upon the buildings. The main hall called the Vladislav hall is a huge space used through the centuries for large assemblies, gatherings, feasts and markets. The floors are of wood and the ceiling laced in beautiful spidery vaults. From this hall, doors lead to several other parts of the building including the austere All Saints Chapel, another assembly hall used as the high court during the Hapsburg reign, the Ludwig Wing – offices of the Hapsburg governors, the Old Kings Palace and the Charles hall containing busts, statues and models of the castle as it appeared centuries ago. Of interest is the riders staircase, the steps being wide enough for horses to simply trot up after being groomed below for display in various tournaments.