Over the past year, Prague Castle has announced four architectural competitions. The last time it was this active in transforming its spaces was 30 years ago. You can read about the changes that took place during the 1990s in the text by Jana Tichá and Irena Fialová in the book DEVADE, recently published by the IPR Prague Publishing House. What were the first projects implemented after the revolution? How did the Castle gradually open to the public? What was accomplished at that time and why? Was it only thanks to Václav Havel? And what is the situation today? What will Chotek Gardens, the new checkpoints, the educational center in the Mocker Houses, and the new lighting look like after reconstruction? Join us on a walk through the past, present, and future of the Prague Castle complex.
When the Castle reopened
In 1989, after decades of being closed off, Prague Castle began to reopen to the public. President Václav Havel entrusted the architecture and heritage care of the site to Miroslav Masák and invited designer Bořek Šípek to collaborate. Šípek contributed to the interiors of the Castle as well as to new entrances to the representative spaces and the Office of the President of the Republic, and to the refurbishment of the Prague Castle Picture Gallery. He also designed a new pedestrian footbridge linking the Letná Park and Chotek Gardens, which replaced Jaroslav Fragner’s deteriorating bridge in 1998. Its stainless-steel railings and deck made of thick Brazilian walnut planks lend an unexpected sense of nobility to this everyday crossing. With its light steel structure and playful greenish-pink hue, the footbridge still forms a symbolic gateway to the Castle.
Bořek Šípek’s footbridge connects Letná Park and the Chotek Gardens.
Source: Ester HavlováA high-tech temple for plants
During Václav Havel’s presidency, a new Orangery was built in the Royal Garden. The nearly 90-meter-long glass tube is supported by a delicate network of stainless steel tubes, whose rhythm is reminiscent of Gothic vaults. This unique high-tech building by Eva Jiřičná, which was built at the turn of the millennium between 1999–2001, continues the tradition of orangery dating back to Rudolf II. He had various thermophilic plants such as citrus fruits, almonds, and other Mediterranean flora grown in the same place. The modern greenhouse is controlled by computers that regulate the shading, ventilation, and watering of the indoor plants used to decorate the representative rooms of Prague Castle.
The orangery by Eva Jiřičná stands next to the Ball Games Hall at the edge of the Stag Moat.
Source: AI-DESIGNWalk beneath the ramparts
At the beginning of the new millennium, the Stag Moat was opened to the public. This natural ravine with the Brusnice stream had long protected Prague Castle from attacks from the north. For centuries, it was crossed by a single bridge known as the Powder Bridge. When it was destroyed yet again at the end of the 18th century, it was replaced by a massive embankment, which effectively divided the moat into two separate parts for many years. This changed in 2002, when, at Václav Havel’s initiative, architect Josef Pleskot redesigned the site. The representative passageway made of brick and exposed concrete was appreciated by visitors to Prague Castle and experts alike. The path through the Stag Moat even became a finalist in the 2003 Mies van der Rohe Award competition.
Josef Pleskot’s passage through the embankment of the Powder Bridge formed part of a broader plan to create an alternative access route leading from Klárov to the Prague Castle complex.
Author: Jan Malý | Source: IPR PragueFrom makeshift to architecture
Major changes and bold plans regarding architecture and the cultivation of public space are still taking place at Prague Castle today. After 30 years of closure, the Castle administration announced four architectural competitions over the past two years, two of them in collaboration with IPR Prague. The first sign of the site’s transformation was an architectural and design competition for new security checkpoints at Prague Castle, won by Atelier HRA. The jury was impressed by the proposal’s functional solution, flexible structure, high-quality materials and discreet appearance. The competition attracted considerable interest, with 28 teams submitting proposals. The Prague Castle Administration began gradually upgrading the entrances in spring 2025, when retractable bollards were installed at the Powder Bridge to replace the previous yellow metal road blockers preventing vehicle access. The first prototype of the new security pavilions—set to replace the temporary structures hastily installed in 2016—is expected to be installed in the coming months, followed by the gradual replacement of all checkpoints.
The winning proposal by Atelier HRA—a team comprising Vít Šimek, Josef Čančík and Martina Kubešová—is distinguished by its slender structure and high level of functionality. The pavilions will provide shelter from both sun and rain, they can be easily relocated, reduced in size or expanded with additional modules as needed.
Source: Atelier HRAThe Chotek Gardens in (old) new
There is also a fresh proposal for the revitalization of the Chotek Gardens, historically the first public park in Prague. The architectural competition was announced by Prague Castle together with IPR Prague in the fall of 2025 and attracted 21 teams, 7 of which made it to the shortlist. The jury was most impressed by the vision of landscape architects Martina Kameníková, Radek Prokeš, and Monika Šafářová from the Arkytek studio in collaboration with Matouš Jebavý, who is also behind the revitalization of the Rieger Gardens. The winning design sensitively develops the original form of the park by František Josef Thomayer from the early 19th century, but is not afraid of innovation. The central composition of glades lined with trees is preserved, and the edges are complemented by lookout points and rest areas, which today’s visitors seek out in the park. Benches and pathways, now nearing the end of their lifespan, are set to be restored. Plans also include new street furniture, lighting and the creation of a new secluded corner with a water feature, shrubs and flowering plants around the monument to Julius Zeyer. The historic element known as a “pereneta”—a collection of perennial plants arranged individually within the lawn, popular at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries—is also set to return. As an initial step, the monument to Julius Zeyer was restored last year for the first time in more than 100 years. Conservators repaired the stone base, the marble sculpture group, part of the artificial pond and the damaged gilded lettering.
Chotkovy sady is part of the Prague Castle complex, but it is accessible without any restrictions, freely throughout the year. That is precisely why its transformation is so necessary. The authors of the new concept are working with a varied composition of trees and the colorfulness of their foliage and the variability of greenery across the seasons.
Source: Studio Arkytek and Matouš JebavýCastle as a classroom
The series of competitions at Prague Castle continues in 2026, this time focusing on a new generation of visitors, with plans to reconstruct the so-called Mocker Houses on St. George's Square into a two-storey multifunctional educational centre. These Neo-Gothic canon residences by architect Josef Mocker served as a large-capacity canteen from the 1950s onwards; they are now set to provide space for gatherings, debates and lectures. In the mornings, the centre will be dedicated to schools; in the afternoons, it will open to children and families, as well as to public discussions. The Castle is thus opening up once again—this time as a place for dialogue and learning. A small bistro is also planned.
The buildings were constructed by Josef Mocker between 1879 and 1881, during the completion of the neighboring St. Vitus Cathedral. They originally served as canons’ quarters. The current interior design dates back to the 1990s. The buildings will now serve as a place for education and meetings.
Source: Hana ConnorIn a new light
Not only buildings and parks, but also lighting shapes public spaces and their overall atmosphere. Prague Castle has recently announced a competition for the complete renovation of its public lighting. The current system dates back to the 1990s and is technically obsolete. The new lighting should be beautiful, sustainable, economical, and produce less light pollution, which negatively affects not only people but also animals in the city. The Castle is looking for a multidisciplinary team that will design, supply, and install the lighting with respect for the uniqueness of the site. The competition itself was preceded by a year-long survey by experts from the Czech Technical University. The winner will be selected in the fall of 2026 by a jury that will include Eva Jiřičná and Ladislav Lábus. The Castle should be newly lit in 2028.
Prague Castle has announced a competition for new lighting. During the competition, a tour and consultation will be held for applicants. The jury will evaluate the final designs in September 2026, with results expected in the fall. The competition is organized by the CCEA MOBA office.
Source: Hana Connorrelated
