Prague Castle, Prague, Czech Republic
St. Vitus Cathedral (Metropolitan Cathedral of Sts. Vitus, Wenceslaus, and Adalbert)
The towering Gothic cathedral within Prague Castle that took six centuries to complete, housing the Czech crown jewels and the tomb of Good King Wenceslaus.
They started building it in 1344 and did not finish until 1929. Six centuries of work, interrupted by wars, fires, revolutions, and arguments about what style to use for the western facade. The result is a Gothic cathedral that dominates Prague's skyline from its position inside the castle complex, its spires visible from almost anywhere in the city. Inside, the nave soars to thirty-three meters and the stained glass ranges from medieval to Art Nouveau — Alfons Mucha designed the famous north window in the 1930s, filling it with vivid scenes from the lives of Sts. Cyril and Methodius. The Chapel of St. Wenceslaus is the emotional center of the building, its walls covered in semi-precious stones and fourteenth-century frescoes showing the life and death of the patron saint of Bohemia. Above this chapel, behind a door with seven locks, sit the Czech crown jewels. The crypt holds the tombs of Bohemian kings including Charles IV, who started the whole project. The cathedral is the spiritual and political center of the Czech nation, and it carries both roles with a heaviness you can feel when you stand in the nave.
Diocese: Archdiocese of Prague
Style: Gothic
What to See
The Wenceslaus Chapel is the highlight but it is roped off — you look in from the doorway at the glittering walls of jasper, amethyst, and chalcedony set into the plaster along with Gothic frescoes. Mucha's window is in the third chapel on the left as you enter and it glows differently depending on the time of day — morning light is best. The Great Tower offers views over Prague if you are willing to climb nearly three hundred steps. In the crypt, the tombs are arranged chronologically and the space has been recently restored. The silver tomb of St. John Nepomuk in the ambulatory is a two-ton Baroque extravagance made from silver stripped from mines at Kutná Hora. The rose window on the west facade, installed in the 1920s, depicts the Creation.
Pilgrim Notes
The cathedral is inside Prague Castle, which requires passing through a security check. Entry to the nave is free, but a ticket is needed for the chapels, crypt, and tower — buy a Prague Castle circuit ticket. The castle grounds open at six in the morning and arriving early is the only way to avoid the worst crowds. Mass is offered on Sundays and holy days, and the cathedral is closed to tourists during services. Tram lines stop at Pražský hrad or you can walk up from Malá Strana through the castle gardens. Budget at least an hour, longer if you want the tower climb.