Prague Cathedral popularity
If you consider yourself a devout Catholic and a Sunday churchgoer, you’ve probably come across Prague Cathedral or even heard of this popular church. You’ve probably wondered what makes it so popular? Read on to discover all about the Prague cathedral.
This is undoubtedly the biggest Cathedral, and in addition to religious services, it’s popular since the inauguration of Czech’s male and female rulers happened here. It’s also a burial place for various nobles, rulers, patron saints, and archbishops.
Origins of the Prague Cathedral
This country’s unmatched sacred structure which, according to history, is the earliest church erected in 930, afterward rebuilt in 1060. The religious form we see today was started in 1344, and Charles IV was devoted to its construction throughout his reign between 1346 and 1378 as Bohemia’s and the Romans’ ruler.
Mattia of Arras was credited with most parts of its grotesque appearance. Petr Parléř, in his early twenties, was awarded the huge responsibility upon Mattia’s death, the architect responsible for building some of the historical structures such as Old Town Bridge Tower, Charles Bridge, and designing the New Town.
The development stalled for 15 years (1419 to 1434) throughout the Hussite’s revolution and construction never restarted for more than four centuries. This sacred structure’s construction came to completion almost 600 years later from when construction first began.
The historical significance of the Prague Cathedral for Czech
The coronations of both male and female Bohemian rulers were done in this vast sacred building. It has great spiritual and secular significance as it’s the graveyard of various religious leaders and holy people.
Charles IV, the widely known ruler and Emperor, for instance, started building today’s grotesque religious building in 1344.
He wanted to turn it into a household tomb, inauguration building, a relics’ treasury, and other throne valuables- the final resting place and place of pilgrimage of likely the most critical Bohemian patron saint called Wenceslaus.
5 reasons to visit the famous Prague Cathedral
The spiritual symbol of the Czech Republic
This old church now is a representation of historic authority and religious beliefs. The eagle representing Moravia is an adaptation of the empire’s Saint Wenceslas eagle. The lower square is gold with a black-crowned eagle, which symbolizes the Silesian region of the country. The Czech lion is today the symbol of the Czech Republic.
600 years of construction
The splendid sacred structure established in 1344 is located at the Romanesque rotunda’s original site. This Gothic church is a key spiritual site in Czech, whose completion took 585 years (around 600 years).
It was completely finished in 1929, and since then, it has become an essential part of the castle’s history. Its great inside holds countless memories, plus the amazingly decorated St. Wenceslaus’ crypt and Chapel, the graveyard where numerous rulers are laid to rest, and the famous Crown Chamber, where the crown jewels are stored permanently.
Impressive interior
The architectural elements of this sacred building are borrowed from several architectural periods, yet the final product is undeniably breathtaking.
The tower on the south also holds the most massive church bell in Eastern Europe. It dominates the Golden Portal, the primary entrance to the Cathedral of Prague Alfons Mucha. An artist from the Czech Republic made one of the glass windows.
Appreciate the Gothic magnificence at the front and ensure you don’t miss the Baroque, Classical, and Romanesque elements.
Wenceslas Chapel with the tomb of St. Wenceslas
The Chapel of Saint Wenceslas is built in the same position as the original Romanesque rotunda built on St.Wenceslaus cemetery. This Bohemian prince is remembered as Christianity’s symbol for his martyrdom. Charles IV, the Emperor, built this sacred structure to honor Saint Wenceslas, which preserves more than a thousand decorations of precious stones and frescoes.
Crown Jewels
In the chambers of the Cathedral, the Crown Jewels are kept away from anyone who seeks access to them. Only seven people act as keyholders: the head of state, the Chief Minister, the Archbishop, the Chamber of Deputies president, the Senate’s chairman, the Dean, and the Mayor.
All keys must be available to unlock the doors. Since 1791, the seven key’s tradition had existed when they were brought back from Vienna. These royal collections are invaluable because they are of inestimable historical value and represent Czech sovereignty.
Why try a guided tour?
A guided tour organization manages all the organizing and preparing visits to the region’s monuments. You save both energy and time you would have spent planning your visits to your destination. The tour company establishes a program to visit the places according to their proximity to efficiently use the visit’s time.
The tour company considers the visiting times on the program, so you won’t have to put hours searching for the information. For every place you plan to visit, transportation is taken care of for you. You have just registered for the preferred visit and show up.
We have already answered your question of why the old Prague temple is so popular. Even if you don’t consider yourself a religious person, the grotesque architecture, magnificent stained glass windows that depict several scenes, and breathtaking monuments make touring this popular Prague Cathedral worth your time.
