The Museum of Nativity Scenes is located on Karlštejn Square. On the ground floor of the building, you can see a quality collection of Czech historical nativity scenes carved from wood, complemented by nativity scenes from period rare materials such as wax, sugar or bread. The attraction for children is several mechanical nativity scenes, which run on their own. Directly under the roof, the most spectacular building is hidden in the audience - the Karlštejn Royal Nativity Scene. It is the largest puppet nativity scene in the Czech Republic, covering 80 m 2. The several-meter scenery of Karlštejn Castle is equipped with 46 puppets carved from wood and dressed in period suits. Santa Claus brings gifts from the 10 most important Czech monarchs, led by Charles IV, who brings him gifts from Karlštejn Castle. In the lowest part of the house, there are two floors of Baroque cellars, where a permanent exhibition on the history of viticulture in Karlštejn and the Sklep exhibition hall are installed. The mysterious figure of the White Lady attracts children's attention in the cellars, to whom a somewhat morbid story from the history of Karlštejn Castle relates. http://www.muzeumbetlemu.cz/

Karlštejn Castle was founded in 1348 by the Charles IV, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor as his private residence and a place of safekeeping royal treasures, especially his collections of holy relics and the Imperial Crown Jewels. In 1355 Charles IV stayed here for the first time, overseeing the construction and decoration work, especially in chapels. The construction was completed in 1365 when the Chapel of the Holy Cross in the Great Tower was consecrated. Over the centuries the castle has always been in hands of the king or a state institution, never in private hands. Nowadays it is owned by the state. Very impressive is the preserved original stair-arrangement of individual castle buildings. The lower section with a small courtyard by the Well Tower and the Burgrave´s House continue through the majestic five-storey Imperial Palace and the Marian Tower. At the highest point, the construction of the castle culminates in a monumental, 60-meter-high Great Tower and its massive fortifications. A unique original 14th-century wall decoration, a set of 129 paintings created by Master Theodoric in the Chapel of the Holy Cross (the largest in the world), the largest portrait gallery of kings of Bohemia in the Czech Republic, a replica of the royal Crown of Bohemia, a unique castle well. The castle is also famous as a set to a comedy play Night at Karlštejn Castle by Czech poet Jaroslav Vrchlický. https://www.hrad-karlstejn.cz/en/about