Karlstein

(in Czech, Karlštejn, Karlův Tyn), a castle in Czechoslovakia on the Berounka River, 28 km southwest of Prague; a Gothic architectural monument.

Karlstein Castle was built to house the treasures of Charles IV. Designed by the architects Matthias of Arras and Petr Parlef, it was constructed on a high cliff (72 m) between 1348 and 1357. Restoration was carried out from 1888 to 1897, changing the original appearance of the castle. The picturesque, impressively laid out structural complex at Karlstein includes a medieval fortified dungeon, the Church of Our Lady (wall paintings dating from the 14th century), the Chapel of St. Catherine (stained glass windows dating from the 14th century), and the Chapel of the Holy Cross. Striking “portraits” of saints and prophets were painted in the Chapel of the Holy Cross circa 1357–67 by Master Theodorik and others. The Karlstein Castle houses a museum of its history and of medieval art.