Prague Castle’s gardens and moat reopen on April 1

Prague Castle will launch the summer tourist season on April 1 by opening its gardens and moat, as well as launching an exhibition on Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik, who renovated the Castle during the First Republic.

Visitors will again be able to enter the Upper Stag Moat, Southern Gardens, and Royal Garden with its Ball Game Hall, Summer Palace (Belvedere), renovated former presidential residence. Only the upper part of the Stag Moat will be accessible. Renovations on the lower part will continue until October. Walking around the gardens and moat does not require a ticket.

Other parts of the Castle are open all year: St. Vitus’ Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, St. George Basilica, Golden Lane, and Daliborka Tower. People can newly buy tickets for Castle tours via a QR code on their smartphones. The ticket prices will not rise compared to last year.

The official opening ceremony for the summer season will take place on May 14. On that day, the Castle interiors will be open for free, including some that are not normally accessible.

During the main season from April 1 to Oct. 31, the outdoor area of the Prague Castle complex will be open between 6 am and 10 pm daily. Historical building interiors will be open between 9 am and 5 pm, except for the southern tower of St Vitus’ Cathedral, and the exhibition areas, and gardens, which close at 6 pm. Hours can be found here.

An exhibition marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of Jože Plečnik opens on April 1 in the Teresian Wing of the Old Royal Palace, near parts of the Castle that Plečnik renovated. Read more about the architect and his work on the Castle here.

Security checks of visitors’ personal items will continue this season at all entry points to Castle grounds. The checks were first introduced by the Presidential Office in 2016. People have to go through a metal detector and allow bags to be inspected. Prague Castle, in addition to being a tourist attraction, is the seat of the Czech President’s Office.

Interior Minister Vít Rakušan in January asked for a review of the security measures currently taken at the Castle to determine if they were really necessary. But due to the war in Ukraine, security checks will stay in place for the time being. A possible change in security will only be considered after the conflict in Ukraine ends, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Ondřej Krátoška.