Karlštejn Castle, founded in 1348 , occupies a very exceptional position among Czech castles. It was built by the Czech king and Roman emperor Charles IV as a place to store royal treasures, especially collections of holy relics and imperial crown jewels. In 1355 , Charles IV was already staying at the castle, supervising its completion and interior decoration, especially the castle chapels. The castle was completed in 1365, when the Chapel of St. Cross in the Great Tower was consecrated.
At the beginning of the Hussite wars, the Czech crown jewels were transported to Karlštejn for security reasons, which remained stored here for almost 200 years with short breaks. Structurally, the castle was modified in the late Gothic style after 1480 , and then in the Renaissance style in the last quarter of the 16th century. During the last building modification from the end of the 19th century, led by architect Josef Mocker in the spirit of purism, the castle acquired its present appearance.
