Voyage Prague Travel agency (Prague, Czech Republic)

In 1355, the Czech king, Charles IV, was enthroned as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. His coronation was a seminal event in the history of the Czech Lands, and forever changed the destiny of Prague. Under the dictates of Charles IV, the provincial city was transformed into the resplendent capitol of Europe, and held the title for the next quarter century. Yet, despite Prague’s rise in stature, the Emperor thought it unwise to store the empire’s vast treasure trove within its confines. Summoning the realm’s most-acclaimed architect, Matthias of Arras, Charles had him design the majestic Karlstejn to house the empire’s riches. The citadel’s forbidding site, with its lofty and secluded air, soon became a mirror of its owner – the reclusive Emperor practically abandoned Prague for the private world of Karlstejn. Renovations have restored its regal, inviolate atmosphere, and today Karlstejn remains, as it has for centuries, the Empire’s treasure chest, as well as a storehouse for priceless Christians relics, Czech royal regalia and the state archives.