What the Eiffel Tower is to Paris, St. Vitus Cathedral is to Prague. This is the most important building in the Czech Republic and in the former Bohemian Empire. Its towers dominate the panorama of the city and are an unmissable place for every tourist…
It is located in the very heart of the Prague complex.
Although it looks very old, the cathedral was not fully completed until the 20th century.
In this place, in the 9th century, there was a pagan sanctuary, where women prayed for offspring. The rulers of that time wanted to impose Christianity, which the local population did not accept. That is why Prince Wenceslaus resorted to cunning. On the site of a pagan temple, he built the rotunda of St. Vitus, the neophyte, who was executed in the 4th century for his steadfast faith in Christianity.
Over time, the temple was accepted by the people and they began to pray to Saint Vitus. Charles IV wanted something magnificent to be built in Prague, modeled after the French cathedrals. Architects began construction in the Gothic style.
However, after his death, his successor, King Wenceslas IV, was not so successful, so the construction was completely stopped and the cathedral remained unfinished for the next 600 years.
In the meantime, styles changed, so Renaissance and Baroque elements were added. This mix of styles clearly sets Prague Cathedral apart from others across Europe.
Although it was not fully completed, coronations, weddings and funerals of all the kings of Bohemia took place in the cathedral.
Only in 1929. the cathedral is open to the public.
1950 the state and the Catholic Church argued over the ownership of this monumental building. A Solomonic solution was found that the cathedral belongs to itself.
Today, it is considered one of the main landmarks of Prague and is visited annually by 3 million tourists, including me.
How did the cathedral get its name?
According to legend, Vitus was an apprentice originally from Sicily. He was thrown into hot oil by the Roman emperor Diocletian and remained unburnt thanks to his steadfast faith.
Later, he was thrown into the mouth of a lion, but he survived because he was protected by angels. All this led to him being declared a saint.
Since 1997. this magnificent cathedral is officially called the Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslas and Adalbert. This name did not survive and only the Cathedral of St. Vitus remained.
Legends and stories related to the cathedral
The building looks like a fairy tale anyway, and if you add numerous legends to it, the magic grows.
The main builder of the cathedral fell asleep one day and overslept the consecration of the cathedral. Because of this, he was very sad, so he jumped from the roof but the angel saved him. He carved the image of an angel on the wall of the cathedral as a sign of gratitude.
There are also more stories, which increase the magic of this place. For example, one of the workers’ dog was bitten by a snake. The worker prayed to Saint Vitus and the dog miraculously survived. The grateful owner carved the image of the dog on the facade of the cathedral.
A story can be told for each of the numerous decorations.
But you should not rush into the interior of the cathedral without first paying attention to the richly decorated facades.
For example, if you look carefully at the cathedral, you will see that, among other things, it is decorated with numerous gargoyles, which seem to be watching you closely.
There are no two identical examples on the facade. Besides having the practical role of draining excess water from the roof, they all represent different faces of the devil. Locals like to joke that the characters of these terrifying creatures are borrowed from real life, from beloved relatives and in-laws.
Great South Tower
This tower was built in the 14th century and has undergone numerous reconstructions since then.
It is 96.5 m high and offers a spectacular view of the city, if you manage to overcome the 287 steps that lead to the top.
The tower houses the largest bell in the Czech Republic. The bell also has its own name, Sigmund. It is almost 2 m tall and weighs 15 tons. Sigmund rings only in exceptional cases, e.g. when the pope comes to town.
When the weather is bad, climbing the tower is not allowed, so choose your visit time carefully. 6 ringers are needed to run the bell – 4 to swing the bell, 2 to operate the clapper.
On June 15, 2002, when ringing the bell on the occasion of the holiday, the clapper broke. As legend has it, this means impending disaster.
In August of that year, the flood came.
How to visit the cathedral?
When you enter the cathedral, you pass through the west door, which is richly decorated.
Although they look authentic and old, the doors were installed only in 1953.
There are two ways to visit the cathedral, free and with a ticket. If you choose the first method, you can enter the cathedral lobby without a ticket. It is also the most crowded here.
It would be a shame not to see the rest of the cathedral, the ticket is not expensive. People with disabilities have a discount. You can buy tickets in the Prague complex itself or online.
Best time to visit
Since the changing of the guard takes place every day at 12:00, it is best before or after 2:00 p.m. Otherwise it will be crowded.
As grandiose as the cathedral is on the outside, it is just as grandiose on the inside.
Fortunately for me, it is fully adapted for a wheelchair.
The cathedral is in the form of a Latin cross with arms, the length of which is 125 m and the width of 60 m. The ceiling is supported by 28 powerful Gothic columns with a height of 33 m.
The interior is divided into 17 chapels separated from the main space.
It can be cold in the cathedral, depending on the time of year.
The interior of the cathedral is richly decorated with sculptures, tombstones and church furniture.
There is also the sarcophagus of St. John Nepomuk, which certainly attracts attention with its appearance. The sarcophagus is made of silver and is lavishly decorated. It was made in the 18th century by Viennese craftsmen and weighs 2 tons.
It is considered to be the heaviest sarcophagus in the Czech Republic.
In the heart of the cathedral is the royal crypt. Czech kings and queens as well as some church dignitaries are buried in it.
However, the most important tomb is the tomb of St. Wenceslas, where the crown jewels of Bohemia are kept.
There is also the crown of St. Wenceslas from 1349. for Charles IV, royal scepter, coronation mantle.
They are shown in public only on special occasions. All key keepers must be present at the same time in the same place. One of the keys is with the president, another with the archbishop, and the third with the prime minister. It takes seven people to unlock seven locks.
Stained glass windows
The stained glass windows that abound in the cathedral are among the most beautiful in the world.
If you want spectacular pictures then it is best to visit the cathedral 1 to 2 hours before sunset, when the rays of the sun fall right through the windows and create a gorgeous rainbow effect in the cathedral itself.
If you get the right moment, the sun will play with these window creating incredible pictures on the floor of the cathedral.
Since religious buildings are sacred places, it is believed that the light in the cathedral must be special, which gives this place a special dose of mysticism.
Baroque organ
The organ is located in the oldest part of the cathedral, and was made by Jozef Molzer in 1932.
Although they are composed of 4400 pipes, they are not strong enough to fill a 125m long church with music. Therefore, in 2017, the construction of a new organ with 8,000 pipes was started, which will meet these requirements.
Working hours
The cathedral is open every day except for some important holidays, radon weather can vary in summer and winter months so it is best to check on the official website.
How to get to the cathedral I wrote here.
Dress code
Visitors should take adequate clothes when visiting. It can be very cold in the cathedral, so be prepared for that moment as well.
Photography
Photography is allowed but without flash.
Accessibility
The cathedral is wheelchair accessible.
Conclusion
All in all, the cathedral is a great example of the skill and creativity of the many artists who worked in it over the centuries.
Whether you are interested in architecture or history, everyone can find something interesting and admirable here. For a long time I only saw this mighty building in pictures and I am very happy that I finally visited it.
Have you been to the St. Vitus Cathedral?
Did I miss something?
Traveled and enjoyed,
Marko Velickovic
