Photo: Prague Castle Guards Czech Republic

Guards marching outside the Prague Castle in the Czech Republic in Europe.

Everyday on the hour between the early morning hours and late evening, there is a changing of the guards at the castle of Prague in the Czech Republic for anyone to watch. All the guards are dressed in their traditional clothing with machine guns hoisted over their shoulder as they change shifts at the gates of the Prague Castle.The changing of the guards is done in a very formal way as a small group of guards brings in two new ones to begin their shift and at the same time two others leave after completing their duties. Both the west entrance and the north entrance of the Prague Castle have the guards changing and you can watch the same performance from either side.Once a day, at 12:00 noon, you can view a much larger presentation of the changing of the guards at Prague Castle which involves music and a parade. The guards must be extremely serious while on duty and a smile is something that you will not capture on film. ... continue below the picture...

... For a close look at the changing of the guards, you may want to get to the castle of Prague in the Czech Republic about fifteen minutes early to get front row amongst all the other tourists. To learn the history behind the changing of the guards, you can tour the castle while visiting the Czech Republic.Changing of the Guard at the Castle of Prague, Prague, Czech Republic, Europe.