Prague Castle

You know what's wild? You're standing in front of the largest ancient castle complex on the entire planet – we're talking 70,000 square meters, which is basically ten soccer fields of pure medieval madness! See that Gothic spire piercing the sky? That's St. Vitus Cathedral, and here's the kicker... it took nearly 600 years to finish. They started building it in 1344 and didn't wrap up until 1929! As you walk through that main gate, you're literally following in the footsteps of Holy Roman Emperors – this place has been the seat of power since the 9th century. But before all this grandeur, there was just a wooden fort up here, watching over a river crossing. Look closely at the walls as you enter... you'll spot Romanesque stones from the 1100s mixed with Baroque flourishes from the 1700s. It's like walking through a thousand years of architecture in about thirty seconds! Oh, and here's what the tour guides won't tell you – head to the Golden Lane after 5 PM when it's free and practically empty. Those tiny colorful houses? Franz Kafka wrote some of his darkest stories in number 22 during World War One. The locals know the best view isn't from inside... it's actually from Petřín Park across the river at sunset, when the whole castle lights up like something out of