Near the Rosenberg palace stood two churches; the older 

 was All Souls, founded by Ottakar II, enlarged by Carl IV, 

 and after the great fire restored by Rudolph's sister Elizabeth, ; 

 the widow of Charles IX, of France. The other church was 

 dedicated to St. George and was recognizable by its lofty twin 

 towers; the interior was richly decorated in Byzantine style, 

 and its cloisters connected with the Benedictine Convent 

 adjoining. The nuns of this convent were all of noble blood 

 and enjoyed great privileges, the Abbess having the right to 

 crown the Queens of Bohemia, a right last exercised on the 

 wife of Maximilian II, Rudolph's mother. 



The Royal Castle built in 1333 by the Emperor Carl IV 

 in imitation of the Louvre at Paris, enlarged and beautified 

 by successive monarchs, was almost destroyed in 1541 by 

 the conflagration that ravaged the Hradschin; it was, how- 

 ever, restored and at the en-d of the sixteenth century consti- 

 tuted a magnificent structure. Its massive walls were inter- 

 rupted at intervals by projecting towers, the oldest being the 

 square Black Tower of hewn stone, a relic of Wenzel's reign 

 (1378 1400). The upper floors of this tower served as a 

 prison for political offenders, and in the depths below stood 

 that horrible instrument of death facetiously called the "Iron 

 Maiden." Conspicuous also were the round White Tower 

 known as "Mihulka," and the "Daliborka," so named from 

 the first prisoner "Dalibor" confined within its walls. Of evil 

 repute was the terrible Hunger Tower with the underground 

 cells and oubliettes that rarely surrendered their inmates alive. 

 Close to the Royal Castle stood the Cathedral of St. Veit 

 with its stately steeple. 



Within the fortified enclosure was the princely residence 

 of the Kings of Bohemia and Emperors of Germany ; spacious 

 apartments for a luxurious Court and for entertainment of 

 noble guests on a grand scale. Of these the most magnificent 



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