Saint Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle

The Gothic Saint Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle is the main sacred place of the Czech Republic and is one of the most interesting tourist attractions of the country. The cathedral contains the tombs of many Bohemian kings and Holy Roman Emperors, and before 1918 crownings took place there. Now the residence of Archbishop of Prague is located at the cathedral.

The first Christian rotunda was founded on this place in 926. Later a Romanesque basilica was built, and in 1344 there was started the construction of a Gothic cathedral, which was first supervised by the architect Matthew of Arras. The king Charles IV met him at the papal court in Avignon. 

This architect began to build the eastern part of the cathedral in the French Gothic style. After his death the construction was continued by the architect Peter Parler, and the cathedral acquired the features of the German Gothic style. Subsequently, the cathedral was added on and decorated for several centuries. It is supposed that the final construction works were finished in 1929, and so about a thousand years after the first rotunda had been erected the main cathedral of Czechia was consecrated. 

The cathedral has a monumental Gothic interior. The side naves have chapels devoted to various saints, as well as tombs of Bohemian kings. Most of the tombs are works of art. Of a particular interest are exceptionally beautiful glass paintings of 19 century based on the sketches of a famous Czech painter Alfons Mucha.

The southern tower reaches the height of 96.5 meters. The tower has the Golden Gate. Crowning processions got through this gate in the cathedral. The Czechia`s largest bell Sigizmund (16 century) is in the southern tower.