Field of activity
The Castle Guard is a specific unit of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic, directly subordinate to the Military
Office of the President of the Republic. Its servicemen are selected and supplemented from the ranks of the Army of the
Czech Republic; the new professional unit moreover recruits directly according to specific criteria. The field of activity
of the Castle Guard results from the tasks stipulated by Act No. 219/1999 Coll., Section 28, which stipulates that the
Castle Guard:
- performs outside guarding of the Prague Castle complex, provides its defence and performs outside surveillance and defence of the buildings which are the temporary seat of the President and his guests;
- organises and provides military honours, in particular during official visits of representatives of other states, and during welcoming of prestigious Diplomatic Missions by the President;
- must not be used for the fulfilment of tasks other than those stated in paragraphs (a) and (b) without the consent of the President of the Republic.
Providing of outside guarding and defence of buildings
Providing of outside guarding and defence of the buildings used by the President of the Republic and his guests consists, in peacetime, primarily in the practical exercise of the guard service for stipulated buildings, and in the preparedness of the Castle Guard for the defence thereof - i.e. securing of these buildings against the entry of unauthorised persons and the organisation of forces and resources for their defence, including drills. During crisis events brought about by non‑military crisis situations (e.g. threat of terrorist attacks, serious disturbance of public order, ecological and industrial accidents, natural disasters…) declared within the territory of interest of the Castle Guard, or declaration of crisis situations initiated by military threat to the Czech Republic (e.g. violent conduct of foreign powers using military force, extensive diverse activity, military attack on state…), the Castle Guard shall fulfil specific tasks stipulated by the "Crisis Plan of the Office of the President of the Republic" and the Plan for Combat and Mobilisation Preparedness of the Castle Guard.
Organisation and providing of military honours
Organisation and providing of military honours consists primarily in providing protocolary and representative activities of the President of the Republic in connection with the exercise of his constitutional powers, with the exercise of the function of Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic, and with the providing of other protocolary and representative activities set for the President by law. It also consists of securing official events held by the President of the Republic at Prague Castle or at temporary seats of the President of the Republic, and in providing honorary escorts and piety acts throughout the territory of the Czech Republic.
