On the outskirts of Prague, the Baroque Tabor Gate and the Leopold Gate lead to a fortified site that is protected by high walls, Vyšehrad Fortress, that was constructed in the tenth century and is the legendary seat of the Přemyšlid princes. The St. Martin's Rotunda is its oldest feature. The fortress is a reminder of bygone strategic importance as the guardian of Prague’s southern border.

Prince Vratislav The Second extended the original old Slavonic castle into a fortified royal residence.

A walk along the fortress’ fortified walls provides a good insight into the full dimensions of the site with stunning views of the city.

Nearby, within a small parish cemetery, worshippers make pilgrimages to the tombs of composers Dvořak and Smetana and also the ‘Bohemian Paganini’, Jan Kubelik, and divine Soprano, Emma Destinova, the ‘Callas’ of Prague. Many of the individual graves are decorated with frescoes, beautiful sculptures and gravestones in Art Nouveau style.

Adjacent to the remains of the royal palace is Vyšegrad Park in which monumental sculptures of the nation’s world of myths are united: Libussa, Přemysl, Záboj, and many more.

The location of the Přemyslid Fortress became the symbol of booming nationalism by the romantics of the nineteenth century, and has been romanticised in both literature and music.