The Giant’s Gate bordering Prague Castle from Hradčanské náměstí will be closed for several weeks from Monday 8th July 2024.
The reason is the replacement of the safety posts. The reopening of the gate is scheduled for the last week of August.
The ceremonial changing of the guards will therefore temporarily replace the performance of the Music of the Castle Guard at the III. courtyard.
The security posts at the Giant’s Gate are at the end of their life and need to be replaced. The gate used for the exit from Prague Castle will therefore have to be closed. However, visitors can still leave the Castle to Hradčanské náměstí – through the south side gate to the I. courtyard, i.e. in the same direction as they are now exiting. During the seven-week reconstruction, mainly due to the necessary archaeological inspection of the site, there will be no events in the first courtyard
ceremonial changing of the guard. It will be replaced by a performance by members of the Castle Guard Music at III. courtyard, daily from 12 to 12:15 p.m. The castle guard will also temporarily not be on duty at the posts of honor in front of the Giant’s Gate.
The Gate of the Giants, the main and ceremonial entrance with the monogram of Maria Theresa and Joseph II, is characterized by the main pillars with sculptures of fighting giants. Other pillars are then supported by smaller pairs of putti (baroque decorative element) with vases and with the symbol of the Czech kingdom – the lion and the Habsburg monarchy – the eagle. All the sculptures were created by the sculptor Ignác František Platzer in 1770–1771, but the originals were replaced in 1921 by copies by Antonín Procházka and Čeňek Vosmík. He modified the first courtyard to its present form architect Jože Plečnik after 1920. Granite paving, lighting and flagpoles were made according to his project. They were originally made of fir logs, but later they were replaced with glued parts.