Situated on the eastern bank of the Vltava River, Vyšehrad is an ancient fort cited to date back to the mid-10th century when it was used as a royal residence and military base. Then in 1085 Vratislav II (a prince of Bohemia's founding dynasty), built a castle here and the area became the stronghold of Prague. Unfortunately, not much of the castle remains today but the area is still fascinating to walk around as it is the home to many historic treasures such as the Gothic revival church of St. Peter and Paul, the Devil’s Column, Saint Martin’s Rotunda, the Gothic cellar and Vyšehrad Cemetery.

I would recommend starting with a visit inside the neo-Gothic church of St. Peter and Paul which is easily recognised from its two looming 58m high spires. The basilica was originally built in the Romanesque style in the 11th century by the King Vratislaus II of Bohemia but unfortunately it suffered a great fire during 1249. The church was rebuilt in 1887 in the Gothic Revival style and is, thanks to Josef Mocker’s magnificent design, an iconic piece of the city’s history.

The richly decorated interiors showcase elements of Art-Nouveau, Baroque and Gothic architecture creating a unique blend of some greatly differing styles. The decoration of the altar, pulpit and side chapels is exquisite, demonstrating beautiful tracery, intricate stained glass and colourful frescos. Interestingly the organ which is situated above the entrance even has hollow spires which match those of the exterior towers.

One of the frescos which particularly caught my eye depicts the first church which was located here. This is positioned at the eastern end of the northern aisle and if you look above the painting of the church you can see a devil flying mid-air holding a column whilst an angel tries to stop him.

Legend says that in 1609 the devil made a bet with the local priest that he could move a column from the Roman Basilica of Our Lady in Trastevere before the priest finished saying mass. The priest (with the help of St. Peter) is thought to have won the wager causing the angry devil to throw the column against the roof of the church. This in turn caused it to break into three pieces and fall to the ground. In 1894 the three stone cylinders are thought to have been moved from the graveyard and put in their present position just moments from the church. These have now been documented on the map as the ‘Devil’s Column’.

As you exit the church take a right through the cemetery gates to discover the final resting place of many notable Czech artists, politicians and musicians. Some of the most iconic graves include that of the author Karel Čapek, the composer Antonín Dvořák and of course the famous Slavín tomb. The idea to build a common tomb for the country’s notable greats came from the politician and historian František Palacký. The Slavín tomb was built between 1889 and 1893 and is the final resting place for the poet Julius Zeyer, sculptor Josef Václav Myslbek and painter Alfons Mucha to name but a few. Located in the East side of the cemetery, above the central monument you can see a sarcophagus with a beautiful winged angel laying flowers upon it.

You can capture some moody shots of the church from the cemetery whilst exploring the exterior arcades which are built in an Italian style with marble tombs and Tuscan pillars.

From here head towards the Gothic Cellar which is located towards the river in front the of church. The cellar is what remains of one of the palace structures owned by Charles IV and was most probably used as a storage space. It now hosts a permanent exhibition called the Historical Appearances of Vyšehrad showcasing the history and legends surrounding the complex. Head towards the back of the cave, where you will find two very interesting tapestries in a glass cabinet, one features a silver skeleton holding an hourglass and a scythe and the other a skull and crossbones in-between a pair of scissors.

I would highly encourage spending a few hours here enjoying the scenery and walking around the castle walls which provide some wonderful vantage points across the river and the Prague skyline.

Tip: Instead of getting public transport or a taxi I would recommend taking a stroll down the side of the river from Prague’s Old Town, a journey that takes around 45 minutes on foot.