David J.
Yelp
St Vitus's Cathedral is an impressive landmark and a must-see destination on any tourist visit to Prague.
History
Work on the cathedral started around 930AD when 'Good King' Wenceslas I built a church here. This was replaced in the 11th century by a new church in the Romanesque style, but under the patronage of King Charles IV (1316-1378) of Bohemia, plans to rebuild it in a grand Gothic style were prepared, to mark Prague's promotion to an archbishopric in 1344.
The architect chosen was Matthias of Arras, who naturally brought the flamboyant French Gothic style with him. On his death, the work was continued by the German Petr Parler, who adopted the late German high Gothic style, albeit it with own stamp: as a woodcarver, he made extensive use of free-flowing decorative detail and introduced a generous quantity of statuary into the design. He is particularly known for his elaborate criss-crossing vaults which form diamond or net-like patterns, best seen in the Chancel, and the extensive use of intricately decorated flying buttresses.
His masterpiece is generally acknowledged to be the Wenceslas Chapel with its ribbed vault, and the burial place of Wenceslas I. Beyond this, he was only able to complete the Chancel and lower stages of the transepts and tower before his death in 1399. His sons and subsequent architects completed the transepts and bell tower during the 15th century, but subsequent progress was slowed by the Hussite Wars from 1420, and thereafter by a lack of funds (not helped by a fire in the 16th century).
It effectively stood half finished, with a wooden extension to function as the nave, until 1844, when efforts were made to complete the cathedral along the original designs. The existing building was refurbished, with some baroque elements removed, and in 1870 work began on building the nave in a high Gothic style, sympathetic to Parler's Chancel. The cathedral was finally completed in 1929.
Visiting the building
The immediate impression from the outside is one of size, with the west door surmounted by a huge rose window, almost hanging between two impressive west towers. The walls of both nave and chancel are heavily buttressed, and elaborately decorated. The Great Tower on the south side is the Cathedral's main landmark, and is surmounted by a three-tiered baroque copper spire, with onion domes on each corner.
Inside, the feeling on entering the Nave is one of spaciousness: the huge clerestory windows flood the nave with light, and indeed the attractive, mostly 20th century stained glass is one of the cathedral's highlights.
At ground level, the Nave and Chancel contain relatively little of interest, with the notable exception of the ornate silver-gilt baroque tomb of Saint John of Nepomuk, who was martyred by being thrown into the nearby river. The obvious part to head for is the chapel of St Wenceslas, completed in 1345. This includes his tomb, elements of his personal armour and a rather gaudy decorative scheme on the walls consisting of polished panels of semi-precious stones and gilding, all surmounted by wall paintings from the early 16th century.
A side chamber also houses the Bohemian Crown Jewels, behind a door secured with seven locks. The jewels are not on display, but legend states that anyone misusing them will suffer an early death. The crypt below contains the remains of a number of Czech monarchs, most notably the 1930s tomb of Charles IV, looking for all the world like a streamlined railway locomotive. Of more interest is the so-called Golden Portal just inside the South Door, which has impressive mosaics.
Finally, if you're fit enough (and you need to be very fit, and not fazed by winding staircases), you can climb the 287 steps of the Great Tower adjacent to the South Transept, for fantastic views over the roof of the cathedral, the Castle and Prague beyond.
Practicalities
Admission to the nave is free, but there can be queues to see the St Wenceslas Chapel and to climb the tower at busy times (ie most of the summer). The Cathedral lies at the heart of the Castle complex: the easiest access (avoiding the climb) is by trams 22 and 23.
