Castle · Karlštejn, Czech Republic
Karlštejn Castle
Karlštejn Castle (Czech: hrad Karlštejn; German: Burg Karlstein) is a large Gothic castle in Czechia, founded in 1348 by King Charles IV. Built 1348. It drew 157,328 visitors in 2022.
Photo: Jürgen Regel, Marian… via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Karlštejn, Czech Republic |
|---|---|
| Type | Castle |
| Built | 1348 |
| Architect | Matthias of Arras, Josef Mocker |
| Elevation | Elevation: 298 m |
| Annual visitors (2022) | 157,328 |
| Coordinates | 49.9394° N, 14.1881° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Karlštejn Castle is known for
Karlštejn Castle (Czech: hrad Karlštejn; German: Burg Karlstein) is a large Gothic castle in Czechia, founded in 1348 by King Charles IV.
About Karlštejn Castle
Karlštejn Castle (Czech: hrad Karlštejn; German: Burg Karlstein) is a large Gothic castle in Czechia, founded in 1348 by King Charles IV. It served as a place for safekeeping the Imperial Regalia as well as the Bohemian crown jewels, holy relics, and other royal treasures. Karlštejn is among the most famous and most frequently visited castles in the country.
History
Founded in 1348, the construction of Karlštejn Castle was directed by the later Karlštejn burgrave Vitus of Bítov, but there are no records of the builder himself. Some historians have speculated that Matthias of Arras may be credited with being the architect, but he died in 1352. Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV personally supervised the construction works and interior decoration.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Karlštejn Castle website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Karlštejn |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Ruzyn? International Airport (PRG) |
| Distance from the airport | 12.0 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG) · Prague, Czech Republic · 11.6 miles away
- Karlovy Vary Airport (KLV) · Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic · 59.3 miles away
- Pardubice Airport (PED) · Pardubice, Czech Republic · 69.1 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Czech Republic
More castles
Frequently asked questions
What is Karlštejn Castle?
Karlštejn Castle (Czech: hrad Karlštejn; German: Burg Karlstein) is a large Gothic castle in Czechia, founded in 1348 by King Charles IV.
Where is Karlštejn Castle located?
Karlštejn Castle is in Karlštejn, Czech Republic. Its coordinates are 49.9394° N, 14.1881° E.
How do I get to Karlštejn Castle?
The nearest town is Karlštejn, and the nearest airport is Ruzyn? International Airport (PRG), about 12.0 miles away (straight line).
When was Karlštejn Castle built?
Karlštejn Castle was built 1348.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karlštejn — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q266698 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://www.hrad-karlstejn.cz/ — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.