St. Vitus Cathedral. The most famous image of Prague

It is one of the most famous images of Prague and certainly the most spectacular monument to be found in the Prague Castle complex.

It is the Cathedral of San Vito, one of the best Gothic examples that we can find in the Czech Republic and its most important church.

It is the seat of the Archbishopric of Prague and has been the place of coronation of Kings of Bohemia. Her visit will not leave you indifferent, especially for the enclave in which it is located and for herself.

The visit to the Cathedral of San Vito. Exterior

Arriving from Courtyard II of the Prague Castle we find the main door of the Cathedral of San Vito.

The main façade is characterized by two tall towers and a large central rose window.

Under this rose window is the bronze door where some scenes from the history of the cathedral and legends of Saint Adalbert and Saint Wenceslaus, the other saints to whom the cathedral is dedicated, are found.

On one of its sides we find the south façade, where we can admire the Renaissance-style Bell Tower and which houses the largest bell in the country.

It is possible to climb this bell tower and have a nice view of Prague. And next to it we can see the Golden Gate, which was the old entrance to the Cathedral and on which stands a spectacular Venetian mosaic made of Bohemian glass and in which the Last Judgment is represented.

The interior of the St. Vitus Cathedral

Once inside the Cathedral of San Vito, what we must highlight is the Royal Marble Mausoleum, located in front of the choir

Under the corol is the Crypt where we can see the tombs of some Kings of Bohemia such as Carlos IV, Wenceslao IV and Rodolfo II.

But without a doubt, the most spectacular place inside is the Chapel of Saint Wenceslas, with an incredible decoration and where the relics of Saint Wenceslas are found.

From there we can access the old Coronation Chamber where the Crown Jewels are currently located. There we can find the Crown and the Sword of San Wenceslao as well as the Coronation Cross. This room is protected by 7 keys.

Brief History of St. Vitus Cathedral

The construction of the Cathedral of San Vito began in the year 1344 by order of Carlos IV, although in this place there was already a Romanesque rotunda from the year 925 built by Prince Vaclav I and later a basilica from 1060.

The construction of the Cathedral of San Vito was carried out for centuries due to the fact that in a first phase it was unfinished, the works being resumed in the middle of the 19th century.

It was not until 1919 that it was inaugurated and opened to the public after completion in the neo-Gothic style. During all these centuries it has witnessed the coronations of the kings and queens of Bohemia.

You can find more information on the official page of the Cathedral of San Vito.