Discover The Historical Heritage Of Prague By Visiting The St. Vitus Cathedral

Posted by Payal Mathur on January 18th, 2019

Since the medieval times, Prague has been deemed as one of the beautiful cities of the world. It has lured visitors from various countries for a long time. Its heritage, amazing architecture and sightseeing serve as magnets for tourists. There are some historic edifices in the capital city of the Czech Republic that have immense historical significance.  One of them is the magnificent Prague Castle which itself contains several impressive buildings and architectural marvels inside. Of special mention is the Cathedral. It is named after St. Vitus, a Sicilian martyr who also served as the patron saint of Bohemia.

The magnificent Prague Castle has several attractions for the visitors but the most impressive is the awe-inspiring st Vitus cathedral. The Cathedral is considered as a masterpiece of medieval era gothic architecture and has immense cultural significance too. It contains a number of treasures that are deemed spiritually important.  The coronations of many Czech monarchs took place within the edifice and it is also the place where several Holy Roman emperors are buried. The cathedral was built after the demolition of a pagan temple, as per the folklore.

It is the largest church in the Czech Republic. It was built over a span of almost 6 centuries- amazing as it may sound! The construction began way back in the 1344 but it went on until 1929. It looks absolutely impressive with its tall vaults and diagonal ribs, unique column designs, stained glass windows and several statues. The Great South Tower in this cathedral was set up in the 14th century but it was reconstructed twice later. This tower has the largest bell in the country and it is named Zikmund. The 90 meters high tower has 287 winding steps.

While the western façade of the cathedral looks quite Gothic, the entire edifice has a mixture of several architectural styles- a result of 600-year long construction and several renovations. It has parts built in typical French Gothic style, along with Renaissance and baroque style. The cathedral was consecrated in 1929.

The interior of the cathedral

The interior of the cathedral is no less impressive than its exterior. The colourful stained-glass windows are amazing to look at. The massive pillars reaching the high ceilings make one feel amazed. Inside there are tombs of Czech monarchs and royal family members like St. John Nepomuk, Ferdinand I and his spouse, Anna Jagellonská. The St John of Nepomuk’s tomb is spectacular with draped canopy held by a number of silver angels.

Other attractions in the cathedral

This cathedral has a number of chapels but the most noteworthy one is the St. Wenceslas Chapel. It is dedicated to the patron saint of the country. Its origin can be traced back to the 14th century. It has walls with slabs of semiprecious stones.

The door in the south-western side of the St. Wenceslas Chapel leads to the amazing Crown Jewels chamber. This is where the Bohemian Crown Jewels are stored. The Crown Jewels which include the Royal Sceptre, Coronation Cloak, the Royal Apple, and the St. Wenceslas Crown are deemed to have priceless historic value.

Useful information for the tourists

Visiting the Prague castle and the cathedral inside can take up an entire day. However, reaching the castle using public transport of the city is pretty simple. You can use one of the nearby tram stops and there are 2 metro stations in the vicinity.  The visitors can opt for either the Prague Castle Tour or choose the self-guided tour. The thing is the Great South Tower will not be covered by the Self-Guided Ticket. There is a separate ticket for the tower. You may buy tickets at the spot or online.

The opening hours vary a little from summer to winter months. April to October it is open from 9 am to 5 pm while in winter months it closes an hour earlier. The castle and cathedral look magnificent in the evening hours.