vassals-hall-txt-1

General view of the Vassals' Hall on the first floor of the Imperial Palace with the castle chapel consecrated to St. Nicholas.

The Vassals' Hall, formerly called the White Hall or the Hall of Knights, neighbours on the Courtiers' Hall. It likewise served the imperial entourage. It gained its present name after the vassal knights who carried out various services at the castle.

Their reward was the loan of a free estate. The statutory vassals, who numbered eighteen according to certain data, guarded the gates, rang the bells in the Church of Our Lady three times daily and opened and shut the gates. Their duties also included sweeping the courtyard. They were strictly punished if they forgot to fulfil their duties. The vassal knights were called upon to carry out services in the Great Tower and formed the core of the castle military garrison.

A Gothic sculpture of St. Nicholas from about 1370.

The Vassals' Hall originally had a bay window in the southern wall. In the semi-round tower behind it was St. Nicholas's Chapel. Its walls were covered with murals, mention of which was made already in 1353 by a chronicler named Marignola. They portrayed the miracle connected with the remains of St. Nicholas which occurred at St. Francis Monastery in Prague. From the finger of St. Nicholas from which the Emperor Charles wanted to separate a piece allegedly blood flowed and when after the elapse of several days Archbishop Arnost of Pardubice placed the two parts of the finger together they miraculously joined up. In order to commemorate the event Charles had the whole story painted on the walls of the chapel. Only a stone arch with remainders of painting has been preserved of the decorations of the chapel. During the reconstruction of the castle in the 19th century the arch was removed and placed in the castle stone collection.

On the altar of the chapel, which was provided with a stone step in the 19th century, there still stands a Gothic statue of St. Nicholas which has been preserved at the castle since the time of Charles IV. In the past holy mass was served in St. Nicholas Chapel for the inhabitants of the castle and the Budnany parishers as well as for pilgrims. In 1919 such a large number of pilgrims arrived at the castle that the interior of the Church of Our Lady did not suffice to accommodate them with the result that on All Souls' Day mass was served in St. Nicholas Chapel. The chapel continues to be used in this spirit nowadays. Displayed in St. Nicholas's Tower adjoining the chapel is a Late Gothic altar painting which once formed a part of the furnishings of St. Palmatius's Church in the outer bailey of Karlstejn. Portrayed in the painting, apart from the Czech patron saint St. Wenceslas, is also St. Palmatius to whom the church at Karlstejn was consecrated. Charles IV gained the remains of St. Palmatius from the Bishop of Treves and had them laid to rest in the church, which fell under the administration of the Karlstejn chapter.

Apart from several artefacts forming parts of the original furnishings of the interior (the door and a part of the coffered ceiling) a group of painted feudal cabinets is installed in the Vassals' Hall. The contents of these cabinets with the coats-of-arms of noble vasals date in the 16th century and were most likely deposited in new cabinet furniture in the 19th century. They served for the location of feudal armour and arms at the time when feudal services were fulfilled at the castle. Failure to wholly fulfil a feudal service, especially that of a guard of the castle gate, was regarded as a very serious offence and even as a capital crime in history. Proof exists of the fact that at the time of the burggrave Jachym Novohradsky of Kolovraty a certain feudal lord was sentenced to death by means of decapitation because he failed to remain in his appointed post at the castle gate.


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		First floor of the Imperial Palace... THE VASSALS' HALL
General view of the Vassals' Hall on the first floor of the Imperial Palace with the castle chapel consecrated to St. Nicholas. The Vassals' Hall, formerly called the White Hall or the Hall of Knights, neighbours on the Courtiers' Hall. It likewise served the imperial entourage. It gained its present name after the vassal knights who carried out various services at the castle. Their reward was the loan of a free estate. The statutory vassals, who numbered eighteen according to certain data, guarded the gates, rang the bells in the Church of Our Lady three times daily and opened and shut the gates. Their duties also included sweeping the courtyard. They were strictly punished if they forgot to fulfil their duties. The vassal knights were called upon to carry out services in the Great Tower and formed the core of the castle military garrison. A Gothic sculpture of St. Nicholas from about 1370. The Vassals' Hall originally had a bay window in the southern wall. In the semi-round tower behind it was St. Nicholas's Chapel. Its walls were covered with murals, mention of which was made already in 1353 by a chronicler named Marignola. They portrayed the miracle connected with the remains of St. Nicholas which occurred at St. Francis Monastery in Prague. From the finger of St. Nicholas from which the Emperor Charles wanted to separate a piece allegedly blood flowed and when after the elapse of several days Archbishop Arnost of Pardubice placed the two parts of the finger together they miraculously joined up. In order to commemorate the event Charles had the whole story painted on the walls of the chapel. Only a stone arch with remainders of painting has been preserved of the decorations of the chapel. During the reconstruction of the castle in the 19th century the arch was removed and placed in the castle stone collection. On the altar of the chapel, which was provided with a stone step in the 19th century, there still stands a Gothic statue of St. Nicholas which has been preserved at the castle since the time of Charles IV. In the past holy mass was served in St. Nicholas Chapel for the inhabitants of the castle and the Budnany parishers as well as for pilgrims. In 1919 such a large number of pilgrims arrived at the castle that the interior of the Church of Our Lady did not suffice to accommodate them with the result that on All Souls' Day mass was served in St. Nicholas Chapel. The chapel continues to be used in this spirit nowadays. Displayed in St. Nicholas's Tower adjoining the chapel is a Late Gothic altar painting which once formed a part of the furnishings of St. Palmatius's Church in the outer bailey of Karlstejn. Portrayed in the painting, apart from the Czech patron saint St. Wenceslas, is also St. Palmatius to whom the church at Karlstejn was consecrated. Charles IV gained the remains of St. Palmatius from the Bishop of Treves and had them laid to rest in the church, which fell under the administration of the Karlstejn chapter. Apart from several artefacts forming parts of the original furnishings of the interior (the door and a part of the coffered ceiling) a group of painted feudal cabinets is installed in the Vassals' Hall. The contents of these cabinets with the coats-of-arms of noble vasals date in the 16th century and were most likely deposited in new cabinet furniture in the 19th century. They served for the location of feudal armour and arms at the time when feudal services were fulfilled at the castle. Failure to wholly fulfil a feudal service, especially that of a guard of the castle gate, was regarded as a very serious offence and even as a capital crime in history. Proof exists of the fact that at the time of the burggrave Jachym Novohradsky of Kolovraty a certain feudal lord was sentenced to death by means of decapitation because he failed to remain in his appointed post at the castle gate.

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