What does “c. 880” mean?
The Castle’s beginnings are generally placed around 880 and associated with the Přemyslid prince Bořivoj. The “c.” means circa: an approximate date based on archaeology and early written evidence, not a documented opening day. The first settlement was protected by a ditch and an earth-and-stone rampart.
Churches and political power
The Church of the Virgin Mary was an early masonry building. St. George’s and St. Vitus followed in the tenth century. With the establishment of the Prague bishopric in 973, the Castle became a centre of ecclesiastical as well as princely authority.
How to read an early foundation
Do not expect a complete ninth-century castle standing above ground. Later builders altered the site repeatedly. The story is pieced together through surviving fabric, excavated remains and documents. Distinguishing those forms of evidence from foundation legends makes the place more interesting, not less.