Vyšehrad - Through the real and imaginary history of Vyšehrad

Vyšehrad is nearly a hundred years younger than Prague Castle and therefore it can not be the original stronghold of the princely Přemyslide family. The myths and legends however claim differently, although they themselves have changed over time.

Until the time of Charles IV the view of Vyšehrad was sober. The first Czech chronicler Kosmas (1045-1125) does not set his story about Princess Libuše in Vyšehrad at all. According to Kosmas the castle on the Vyšehrad cliff, originally called Chrasten, was founded only during the reign of Libuše's husband Přemysl as a defence against the rebellious women in the War of the Maidens. The maidens fortified themselves on the opposite river bank in the place which is today called Děvín, and Vyšehrad was established to stop their advance onto the other bank. In a similar vein the history of Vyšehrad is described by other chroniclers. Only during the reign of Charles IV did the chronicler Přibík Pulkava from Radenín (died in 1380) allege that the prophecy of Libuše about the future glory of Prague took place on Vyšehrad. This new view on the history of Vyšehrad was continually strengthened, largely due to the influence of the chronicle by Václav Hájek of Libočany (died 1553), who persuasively, if not very plausibly, centered on Vyšehrad a number of legends, known later from the accounts by Jirásek. These legends during the 17th and 18th centuries even spread abroad, where they were used as sources for instance by the Spanish playwright Lope de Vega and the German thinker and poet J.G. Herder.

Vyšehrad became a very popular theme during the Czech national revival. In 1816 and in the following years impressive lyric and epic compositions about Vyšehrad were discovered in the so called Královédvorský and Zelenohorský manuscripts. These works allegedly dating from the oldest period of Czech literature, tell of Vyšehrad as an ancient seat, where first princess Libuše ruled the Czechs, and later Přemysl, progenitor of the Czech royal family. Over time however more stringent critical accounts demonstrated that the manuscripts were fakes, created perhaps "in good will" for the revival of national pride. It was a while before the more moderate view of the history of Vyšehrad prevailed. What then is the real story of this historic place?

The steep cliff above the River Vltava has lured settlers here since prehistoric times but the castle was founded probably only in the middle of the 10th century. Some time after 972, Prince Boleslav II built on Vyšehrad a mint where he struck dinars. The military significance of the castle was highlighted in the years between 1003-1004 when Bohemia was occupied by the Polish King Boleslav the Brave. Vyšehrad remained the only point at which the Czech garrison held out. Perhaps because of this, Vratislav II crowned in 1085 as the first Czech king, selected Vyšehrad as his residence.

Vratislav had abandoned Prague Castle in 1070 owing to disagreements with the bishop of Prague, his younger brother Jaromír. He built in Vyšehrad stone fortifications and a royal palace. He founded here an ecclesiastical capitulary (a chapter of clergy), independent of the Prague bishop and under the direct jurisdiction of the Pope. The provost of the Vyšehrad capitulary traditionally held the rank of chancellor of the Czech kingdom. This was a high ranking position with great political influence.

The king separated the religious and the secular centres with stone walls and over the whole area he built several churches: the rotunda of St. Martin, the rotunda of St. John the Baptist, and the basilicas of St. Lawrence and SS Peter and Paul. The king and some other nobles were even buried in Vyšehrad. The last prince to reside in Vyšehrad was Soběslav I (1125-1140). At that time the first mention is made of Přemysl's bast shoes, a bag and a ploughshare, kept in Vyšehrad as a reminder of the peasant origins of the Přemislides. Prince Vladislav II ruling after Soběslav became king in the year 1158 and moved definitively back to Prague Castle. From that time onwards the significance of Vyšehrad declined.

The next decisive development happened only during Charles IV's reign. The Emperor admittedly did not return to Vyšehrad but in spite of that he had it all reconstructed and built here an extensive palace. Charles IV was sensitive to the symbolic significance of Vyšehrad, the legendary seat of the Přemyslide princes from whose family he himself was descended on his mother's side. He therefore included Vyšehrad in the coronation celebrations during which the objects commemorating the founder of the Přemyslide dynasty were displayed. At the same time the monarch appreciated the strategic significance of Vyšehrad and had it fortified anew. Later events showed that he acted wisely.

In 1419 Emperor Zikmund tried to occupy Prague. After the lost battle on Vítkov he had to withdraw, but he left behind a garrison in Vyšehrad. It successfully defended itself against the Prague forces until 1 November 1420. The fighting reached a climax in a famous battle below Vyšehrad, where the Vyšehrad garrison together with Zikmund's army hurrying to their aid, was defeated. The Prague inhabitants pulled down the Vyšehrad churches and the fortifications built to oppose the city. Vyšehrad was then left unoccupied.

Only in the middle of the 15th century did craftsmen and traders start up again on the abandoned site of Vyšehrad. The resettling of Vyšehrad was supported by King George of Poděbrady who had captured Prague previously by taking advantage of the unoccupied Vyšehrad and who did not want his strategy to be copied by anybody else. In 1476 the settlement acquired the status of a town, called “the town of Vyšehrad mountain”.

The town however did not last long. After 1654 the Baroque fortification of Prague was started and Vyšehrad was selected to be the largest Prague stronghold. The inhabitants were moved out onto land below the walls, and so a new feudal settlement arose called Vyšehrad, which was eventually incorporated into Prague in 1883. The enormous Vyšehrad fortress was twice occupied by an enemy. In the years 1741-1742, together with the whole of Prague it was occupied by the French who built here fortress casemates which have survived until today. Two years later the Prussians occupied Vyšehrad and they tried to blow it up, luckily without success.

In the 19th century the military significance of Prague waned and so Vyšehrad was abandoned as a fortress in 1866. However by that time Vyšehrad was already becoming a symbol of the glorious Czech past inspiring a number of writers, painters and composers. The Vyšehrad cemetery with Slavín was founded here, destined to be the resting place of prominent Czech personalities. The former fortress acquired the layout of a park and the fortifications serve for sightseeing walks. On benches under the mature trees we can ponder on the past glories of Vyšehrad.

Did you like it?