Prague: St. Vitus Cathedral

Still trying to catch up on our Prague trip from October. Today, we’re visiting St. Vitus Cathedral, which is located within the Prague Castle complex.

It was a cold and rainy day, but that didn’t stop us from hiking a short distance from our hotel up the hill to the castle complex.

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Here’s the first pay off–the gorgeous views, partially obscured by rain and the dreary wet. Nevertheless, still breathtaking.

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St. Vitus Cathedral is the burial place for many of the Bohemian kings. The present cathedral was built in the mid-1300s.

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Close up of one of the gargoyles. Interestingly, Vitus is the patron saint of actors, comedians, dancers and… epileptics. Apparently (at least according to Wikipedia), St. Vitus Cathedral got its name because King Wenceslas “acquired” a holy relic–the arm of St. Vitus–from Emperor Henry I.

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Inside of St. Vitus Cathedral. There is so much to see here. Be sure to allow enough time.

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The Art Nouveau window by Alfons Mucha.

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A more traditional window nearby.

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A golden altar.

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The amazing, tomb of St. John of Nepomuk. Some say a ton of silver was used for it. Here’s his statue on the Charles Bridge.

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The Chapel of St. Wenceslas (as in Good King Wenceslas). The walls are decorated with semi-precious stones. The crown jewels are locked in a room nearby. Handy, since the Czech kings used to be crowned here.

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One of the best views of Prague is from the top of the Great South Tower. There are 287 steps, and it was so dark in some places that people were using their phones and cameras as flashlights–hope you’re not claustrophobic! There are benches at the top–you’ll want to catch your breath before taking in the views. Photo by Mr. DJ.