Karlštejn Castle.

Rising dramatically above the Berounka River, Karlštejn Castle was established in 1348 by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV as a high-security vault for the Imperial Regalia and Bohemian Crown Jewels. Its distinct silhouette is defined by a tiered layout of three terraces, culminating in the Great Tower. Inside, the walls reach up to 7.5 meters thick, protecting the castle’s crown jewel: the Chapel of the Holy Cross. This sacred space features a gilded vault and a rare collection of 129 panel paintings by Master Theodoric. While the exterior’s current appearance is the result of a late 19th-century neo-Gothic restoration by Josef Mocker, the interior retains much of its medieval gravity, housing the largest portrait gallery of Czech rulers and a sophisticated, ancient water system once kept secret from the public.