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The most important part of the Karlstejn Castle...
THE GREAT TOWER
The
wooden bridge leading from the Marian Tower to the foot of the Great
Tower.
The
Great Tower with the Chapel of
the Holy Rood was the most important part of the castle, since it housed
the most valuable treasure - the coronation jewels of the Roman Empire
and later also the Czech coronation jewels.
A roofed wooden passage,
built by the architect J. Mocker on the site of an older one, leads
to the foot of the Great Tower. At Charles's time it was actually the
only way of access to the Great Tower, being widened by a staircase
along the western fortification wall in the course of the reconstruction
works.
The
whole architectural and artistic conception of the Great Tower
is subordinated to its importance in the framework of the general organism
of the castle. It had separate fortifications with watch-towers. The
Chapel of the Holy Rood is situated on the second floor of the tower,
to which a winding staircase whose walls are covered with murals leads.
Their themes were taken from Charles's favourite legend about St. Wenceslas
and St. Ludmila in the spirit of the Premyslid traditions.
The
inner part of the staircase is devoted to the life of St. Ludmila,
while the outer part portrays the legend of St. Wenceslas.
During the restoration of the castle in the 19th century these wall
paintings were only partly preserved. This fate was shared by the ceiling
decoration, where angels playing medieval musical instruments are portrayed.
The Murder of St. Wenceslas. Wall
decoration on the staircase leading to the Great Tower. The staircase
cycle of paintings shows scenes from the life of St. Wenceslas and St.
Ludmila.
