St. Vitus Cathedral: Giant Gothic Building
St. Vitus Cathedral, located within the borders of Prague Castle, the largest ancient castle in the world according to the Guiness Book of Records, is one of the first places on the list of places to visit in Prague for many tourists.
Built in the 10th century, the official completion date of the Prague Cathedral is 1929. The person who decided to build the building, which has been under construction for nearly 600 years with continuous additions and has been under construction for a long time, is Charles IV, whom we will also remember from Charles Bridge. St. Vitus Cathedral, the largest and most spectacular building in Prague, has been the eternal home of the kings who have ruled since its construction until today.
It is allowed to climb the tower of St. Vitus Cathedral. However, there is a fee to climb the 96-meter tall tower. Afterwards, you will have the chance to watch the historic city of Prague from the top by climbing 279 steps one by one.
St. Vitus Cathedral, one of the best examples of Gothic architecture, has a beautiful structure that will fascinate the viewer. Pay special attention to the sculptures on the exterior architecture. These sculptures, each one more frightening than the other, are actually gargoyles that allow rainwater to be discharged outwards. These eerie gargoyles, which represent evil spirits and the devil, according to the belief, pour out the evil spirit around the cathedral along with the rainwater. The reliefs on the facade depict important events related to the cathedral and the Christian religion. Events related to St. Vitus, Charles IV and the construction and completion of the cathedral are depicted.
The cathedral is 124 meters wide and 33 meters high. Of course, you can also enter the cathedral. You can enter the cathedral by passing in front of the Old Palace. Entrance is free up to a certain point, but if you want to see more you have to pay a fee.
The interior of the cathedral is no different from the exterior, it is still an exciting beauty. Especially the windows decorated with stained glass paintings add a very different atmosphere. All these stained glass works belong to Czech painter Alfons Mucha. This shows that the decorations of the windows are not very old. Because Mucha started to live in Prague after 1910.
St. Vitus Cathedral has many chapels and many tombs. One of these tombs belongs to St. John of Nepomuk. Made of sterling silver, the mausoleum is a must-see during your visit to the cathedral. The mausoleum depicts St. John kneeling on a coffin carried by angels and holding a cross.
There are free parts of the cathedral, but you need a full ticket to visit St. George’s Basilica, Golden Lane, St. Vitus, Adalbert Cathedral, Rosenberg Palace and the Old Palace. The easiest way to reach St. Vitus Cathedral is via Malostranska metro station and bus number 22.
