Post from a castle lover

Prague Castle is a sprawling complex situated atop a large hill on the left bank of the Vltava River, which runs through old town Prague. It is not exactly a "classic" castle, because portions of it were built in different styles, and it spreads out more horizontally than vertically. But inside the castle, there are many sights and attractions. The main feature is St. Vitus cathedral, an interesting 14th century Gothic structure adorned with fascinating gargoyles that can be seen easily from ground level. Inside St. Vitus are some very elaborate tombs, a lot of Czech history. It is possible and worthwhile to climb to the top of the bell tower, which takes you to the highest point inside the castle, from which there are fabulous views of the castle and old town Prague. Elsewhere around the castle are the "Golden Lane," a series of small, colorful shops that originally served as housing for the palace guards; the throne room for the kings of Bohemia, a great hall that looks like it hasn't changed in 500 years; and a Czech art museum. There's also a toy museum, which really has nothing to do with the castle, but contains some very interesting old and new toys. The changing of the palace guard is an entertaining affair, sort of a poor man's version of London's Buckingham Palace routine. When we visited in April 1999, an adult admission ticket to all the main attractions of the castle cost 120 Kc, about $4 US. Allow a minimum of four hours for a visit. In general, Prague is a wonderful city to visit, with many well-preserved medieval attractions and a slightly exotic Eastern European flavor.