Vysehrad

On my birthday I slept in late then took the subway to Vysehrad (High Castle), which is south of Novo Mesto (New Town). It is the mythical birthplace of Prague, high up on a hill overlooking the Vltava River, on the opposite side from the castle. The story goes that the wise chieftain Krok built a castle here in the 7th century.



His cleverest daughter ran things until the subjects complained that they wanted a male ruler. So she took a husband, founded the Premyslid line of Czech rulers, war broke out, and on her deathbed she predicted the rise of the great city, Praha. Actually, Vysehrad may have been settled as early as the 9th century. There was definitely a fortified town by the 11th century.

The area was nearly wiped out during the Hussite Wars, and the Czech National Revival generated new interest in it. Smetana set his opera Libuse there. The local graveyard was converted into a national cemetery. Since the 1920s Vysehrad is known as a quite park with wonderful views of the river valley.




National Cemetery
The Vysehrad National Cemetery defies description. Many of Prague’s artists are buried here. I wish that we could all have such beautiful resting places for eternity. I took lots of photos and there is more information at this wonderful site which I just found here.