Gorlice

Gorlice is the name of the largest underground hall inside the casemates of Vyšehrad, the historic fortress rising above the Vltava river in Prague. It's one of the city's lesser-known highlights — a vaulted chamber that has changed purpose several times over the centuries and now shelters original Baroque statues once mounted on Charles Bridge.

Why is it called Gorlice?

The name has nothing to do with Prague or Bohemia. It commemorates the Battle of Gorlice, fought in May 1915 near the town of Gorlice in Galicia, in what is now southern Poland — one of the decisive engagements of the Eastern Front in World War I, in which Austro-Hungarian forces, backed by Germany, broke through the Russian lines. The hall received its name only after the war, as a tribute to that victory, even though the chamber itself had been carved out of the fortress walls two and a half centuries earlier.

How was the underground hall built?

Vyšehrad's casemates date from the Baroque reconstruction of the old hilltop stronghold into a modern fortress, carried out by the Habsburgs roughly between 1656 and 1678. The Gorlice hall came into existence almost by accident: while builders were reshaping the Saint Bernard bastion, they hollowed out a chamber of about 290 square meters, with a ceiling reaching some 12 meters high — still the largest underground room in historic Prague.

Originally the space served purely military purposes, functioning as an assembly hall for the garrison's troops and a store for supplies and ammunition. Its role shifted over the following centuries: at times it was used as a food warehouse, and later even as an underground workshop, before finally opening to visitors as part of the Vyšehrad underground tour.

What will you see inside?

Since the 1990s, the Gorlice hall has displayed six original Baroque sandstone statues removed from Charles Bridge, where copies now stand in their place to protect the originals from further weather damage. The collection includes the Madonna Attending to Saint Bernard by Matyáš Václav Jäckel (1709), Saint Augustine and Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, both carved by Jan Bedřich Kohl (1708), Saint Adalbert by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff (1709), Saint Anne, again by Jäckel (1707), and Saint Ludmila with the Infant Wenceslas by Matyáš Bernard Braun (1724). Seeing these works up close, inside the cool stone chamber they were moved to, is a rare chance most visitors to the bridge above never get.

How do you visit the casemates and the Gorlice hall?

The underground route leading to the Gorlice hall runs about 300 meters and begins in the oldest surviving section of the casemates, beneath the Saint Bernard bastion, whose foundations date back to 1654. Visits take place in guided groups of up to around 30 people and typically last between 45 and 60 minutes. Tours are conducted in Czech and English, with an audio guide available for other languages. The route is wheelchair accessible. Admission usually also includes an exhibition on the history of Vyšehrad, housed in the fortress's former powder magazine.

How do you get to Vyšehrad?

Vyšehrad sits on a hill above the Vltava, in the southern part of central Prague, a short distance from the Old Town. The easiest way to get there is by metro line C to the Vyšehrad station, followed by a few minutes' walk to the fortress gate. It's worth pairing a visit to the casemates with a walk around the hilltop grounds, which offer one of the finer views over the river and the city.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is a hall in Prague named after a town in Poland? The name was added after World War I to honor the Battle of Gorlice of 1915, a major Austro-Hungarian victory over the Russian army. The hall itself, however, was built much earlier, in the second half of the 17th century.

Can you visit the Gorlice hall on your own, without a guide? No — the casemates and the Gorlice hall can only be visited as part of an organized guided tour, both for safety and to protect the historic structure.

How long does the tour take and how long is the route? The underground route covers about 300 meters, and the full tour typically takes 45 to 60 minutes.

Is the Gorlice hall accessible for wheelchair users? Yes, the route through the casemates to the Gorlice hall has been adapted for visitors with limited mobility.