St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague - a majestic temple

The Cathedral of St. Vitus is the largest Prague temple, the spiritual symbol of the Czech state.

He is so tightly in the third courtyard of the castle that it is difficult to make a conscious full impression of such a gothic chaotic structure. Its asymmetric appearance is the result of a changeable long history. The very first stone in the foundation of this building was laid back in 1344, but the construction was completed only by 1929 - after a thousand years after the death of Vaclav - the most popular Bohemian saint.

The inspirer of the building was Charles IV. He summoned Mathieu from Arras (Frenchman) to begin construction. But in 1352 Mathieu died unexpectedly, when he started his creation, so Charles sent an invitation to continue working for Peter Parler. He gladly agreed. Construction progressed slowly. And after the death of this architect, there were many more masters who put their strength and soul into this most beautiful temple.

The Cathedral of St. Vitus in Prague is the largest. And not only in Prague, but in the whole country. Portals of the cathedral are decorated with a large number of sculptures, as well as bronze and stone reliefs. On the west side towering majestically two high (82-meter) Neo-Gothic stone towers with a round window-rosetta between them. Entering the Cathedral of St. Vitus, it is difficult not to notice the amazing height of the nave. This is the newest building in the building, and therefore its interior decoration refers mainly to the twentieth century. Attention is first drawn to the huge modern stained-glass windows, throwing on sunny days iridescent rays on the high walls of the nave.

The most unusual windows in the cathedral are those made by Frantisek Kysel. They look as if they were smashed into several hundred tiny pieces. Using this technique, he achieved excellent results when creating an incredibly beautiful rose window with a kaleidoscopic plot "Creation of the World" that is above the western entrance. The opposite side of the nave is decorated with a stained glass window on "Who sows in tears, he will reap in joy". Of the 22 side chapels that St. Vitus Cathedral charges, the most important and impressive chapel of St. Wenceslas, located at the southern gate, is of most interest. When you look at the decoration of the chapel, so rich, almost Byzantine, you feel like inside a treasure box. After all, the walls are completely covered in gold, inlaid with Bohemian semiprecious stones, which are placed around the frescoes of the 14th century, depicting the heavy torments of Christ. Above the cornice are later paintings of the Litomerian school, which depict the tragedy of Wenceslas. The door in the south wall leads to the staircase. And it, in turn, leads to the coronation hall (it is closed to visitors), where all regalia of royal Bohemia, even the golden crown of the most holy Wenceslas, are reliably stored.

Inside the cathedral - an amazing Gothic panorama, with a stunning altar and choir, a lot of exquisite stained glass. There is a massive roof vault, 22 columns and a spacious balcony-gallery, which houses busts of builders and famous founders of the cathedral: Czech queens and kings, architects and archbishops. St. Vitus Cathedral with its three-nave space with 28 massive columns divides conventionally the temple vertically into 2 spheres, heavenly and terrestrial, and also a triphorium. When you get to the altar, in the middle you can see an exact copy of the chapel of St. Wenceslas created in the Baroque style - the tomb of St. Jana Nepomuk, set here in 1736. This is a sample of grotesque luxury made of pure silver, with freely floating angels supporting the hard drapery of the canopy.

Despite the difficult history that Prague experienced, the St. Vitus Cathedral is one of the most magnificent monuments in the world architecture.