Karlštejn was a pearl of Bohemia and a decaying structure on the brink of collapse

Selection of key events from the history of Karlštejn Castle:
June 10, 1348 - At the command of Czech King Charles I (later Emperor Charles IV), Matyáš of Arras began the construction of the castle (however, according to several historians, this date is uncertain). The ceremonial laying of the cornerstone was performed by Archbishop Arnošt of Pardubice, and the king was not present.
1355 - The main construction work was probably completed. This year also marks the first mention of the first castle steward, who was Vít of Bítov.
November 1355 - Charles IV allegedly stayed at the castle for the first time while returning from Rome, where he was crowned as emperor.
March 27, 1357 - The emperor established a castle chapter at Karlštejn, and a church of St. Mary was built for its needs.
1365 - The consecration of the Chapel of the Holy Cross completed the construction and decoration of the castle. Probably around the time of the completion of the Chapel of the Holy Cross, the imperial coronation jewels were transported from Prague to Karlštejn (certainly documented there in 1386) - thus, Karlštejn became the symbolic center of the entire Holy Roman Empire and at the same time its treasury; the jewels remained there for about 50 years until Charles's son Sigismund had them transported to Hungary at the beginning of the Hussite Wars.
- Master Theodorik completed the cycle of 129 panel paintings.
1376 - Charles IV allegedly visited Karlštejn for the last time.
May to November 1422 - The castle was unsuccessfully besieged by the Hussites.
1436 - Sigismund was recognized as the King of Bohemia, and allegedly afterwards had the Czech coronation jewels stored at Karlštejn.
Around 1488 - King Vladislav Jagellonian decided at the request of the Czech estates that neither the castle Karlštejn nor the coronation jewels could be disposed of by the king without the consent of the lords, chivalry, and Prague towns.
1578-97 - The castle was renovated in the Renaissance style on the order of Rudolf II by builder Oldřich Avostalis da Sala.
1619 - The coronation jewels along with the archive were transported to Prague Castle; Karlštejn ceased to be suitable as a fortress.
1625 - Emperor Ferdinand II abolished the existing status of Karlštejn, and the castle became only a dowry estate of the Czech queens.
1626 - Empress Eleonora reportedly mortgaged the castle to Jan Kavka of Říčany; this marked the decline of the castle, which continued until the middle of the 18th century.
1646 - The castle was looted by Swedish troops.
1755 - Empress Maria Theresa donated the castle to the Institute of Noblewomen.
1812 - Karlštejn was visited by Emperor Francis I, who was so impressed by the castle that he ordered it to be repaired.
1815-18 - Partial repairs of the castle were carried out under the patronage of Antonín Libštejnský of Kolovrat.
1836 - The Supreme Steward Count Karel Chotek ordered that Karlštejn should be repaired with funds from the provincial treasury.
1837-38 - Partial repairs saved the castle from further ruin.
1866 - The Vienna Central Commission for the Protection of Monuments commissioned architect Fridrikh Schmidt to prepare a project for the complete restoration of Karlštejn.
1887-97 - The castle was puristically restored; during the reconstruction led by Josef Mocker according to Schmidt's project, which sought to return the castle to its Gothic appearance but led to significant interventions in the authenticity of the building, Karlštejn acquired its present appearance.
1910 - Karlštejn was opened to the public.
May 1, 1919 - The Institute of Noblewomen was dissolved, and the castle came under state administration.
1954 - The castle was transferred to state ownership.
1962 - Karlštejn was declared a national cultural monument.