St. Vitus Cathedral

St. Vitus Cathedral – Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert Metropolitan Cathedral is Prague’s Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral, the archbishop’s seat of Prague. The cathedral was devoted to Saint Vitus until 1997 and is still frequently referred to only as the Cathedral of Saint Vitus.

Quick facts

• Name: St. Vitus Cathedral
• Location: Prague, Czech Republic
• Built 10th century
• Type of attraction: Architectural/Cathedral
• Ticket price: Free

A prominent example of Gothic architecture, this cathedral is the country’s largest and most important church. Located within Prague Castle and containing the graves of many Bohemian kings and Holy Roman Emperors, as part of the Prague Castle complex, the cathedral is owned by the Czech government.

This is one of the main attractions in Prague and Czech Republic in general and it is usually visited together with the Prague Castle tour.

The most eye-catching features of a cathedral are its stained glass windows, which are known for their amazing beauty. It was widely held in the Middle Ages that a church’s lighting should have a divine quality.

Sunlight streaming in through the stained glass windows casts a rainbow of hues inside the Cathedral. The stained glass windows in the Cathedral were created by dozens of Czech artists, including the well-known painter Alfons Mucha.

The crowning rites of the Bohemian monarchs were held within the walls of St. Vitus Cathedral until 1918, making it a Catholic church, a royal shrine, and a place to store the coronation regalia. The church is the final resting place for dozens of royals and their kin. The Habsburg emperors and kings are buried in the crypt and mausoleum.

The local nobility paid for the construction of private chapels for their families to use. Having your very personal prayer space was an incredible honour back then. Individual donors commissioned the artists and sculptors who decorated their chapels’ interiors. Chapels were also furnished with holy relics and other riches.

Interesting facts about St. Vitus Cathedral

Here are some interesting facts about this amazing landmark:

• In 929 a church was built here on top of the site of a pagan temple dedicated to the god of fertility Svetovid.
• The clock tower of the cathedral, the tallest of the cathedral’s towers, can be seen from all over Prague.
• Crown jewels are kept in the safe with seven locks and are accessible only to very few individuals.

Read more: Interesting facts about St. Vitus Cathedral