Reaching for the Stars

Vyšehrad (meaning “Upper Castle” in English) is one of the most significant places in Czech history. This unique place, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, is exceptional because it combines multiple layers and functions within a relatively small area. Vyšehrad is a castle, a spiritual site and a natural park. Once a place where kings walked, today it allows visitors to experience its unique and quiet atmosphere.

Our task was to create an identity for the Vyšehrad National Cultural Monument — an organisation dedicated to preserving historical heritage while cultivating contemporary life in the area.

After a thorough and detailed exploration of the various layers of Vyšehrad's history and present, we concluded that a clear and concise symbol should serve as the basic element of the identity. We have chosen the letter ”V”.

The V ⁑

The letter V is the initial of all historical names associated with Vyšehrad (VVISEG, VVISEGRAD, VAISGRAD, etc.) and it can also be seen in between the towers of the Vyšehrad Basilica. Adding two stars to the letter V, we have created an imaginary colon, which can be interpreted in various meanings and legends that Vyšehrad embodies.

Our collaboration with the Vyšehrad National Cultural Monument began after we won a competition organized by Czechdesign in 2020. At the time Vyšehrad lacked a comprehensive visual identity so it was necessary to start with the small applications and gradually build up to the unified system of printed and online communication.

Between classical and modern

To keep the identity fresh, we collaborated with various illustrators and photographers. For typography, we chose the Atlantic typeface from the Heavyweight typefoundry. Atlantic combines classical and modern typography, serving as a pillar of the identity, which aims to highlight both the historical and contemporary significance of Vyšehrad.