ST. GUY'S CATHEDRAL (KATEDRÁLA SVATÉHO VÍTA)

Saint-Guy Cathedral was begun in 1344 by the French architect Mathieu d'Arras in a magnificent Gothic style. Its construction was only completed six centuries later, in 1929 with the work of Kamil Hilbert. Between these two dates, many architects and artists participated in its construction. Among them: Petr Parler (1356-1397), the author of the Charles Bridge, Boniface Wohlmut (1560-1562), Niccolo Pacassi (1770), then Josef Kranner and Josef Mocker (1873-1899). On the entrance portal, you can see many bronze bas-reliefs illustrating the different major stages of the construction of the cathedral, which give an idea of the vastness of the project. An integral part of the entire castle, the cathedral has no square in front of it, since the original entrance was located on the south side. You will therefore have little distance to admire its 82-metre-high twin arrows and you will detail the west facade in a low angle. It is closed by three bronze portals and decorated with fourteen statues of saints. Inside, our favourite will be the Saint-Venceslas chapel, the first chapel on the right, behind the transept. It was built above the vault of the saint by Petr Parler. The walls of the chapel are set with thousands of precious stones and decorated with paintings dedicated to the Passion of Christ and the life of Saint Wenceslas. Behind the high altar, the flamboyant silver tomb of Saint John Nepomuk will stop you with its splendour. Work by the famous J.-E. Fischer von Erlach (1736) and the goldsmith J.-J. Würth. On the south façade of the cathedral, the golden door (zlatá brána) decorated with a mosaic evoking the theme of the Last Judgment, with Charles IV on his knees and his wife Elisabeth. Another masterpiece of the place are its sublime stained glass windows, some of which are signed by Alfons Mucha. Shortly after his return from Paris in 1928, the latter first worked on the interior decorations of the Municipal House, before being asked to create these stained glass windows in 1931. They illustrate the legend of Saints Cyril and Methodius, considered as the two apostles of the Slavs. On the south façade of the cathedral, the golden door (zlatá brána) is decorated with a mosaic evoking the theme of the Last Judgment, with Charles IV kneeling and his wife Elisabeth. It is the solemn entrance when coming from the third courtyard. Even if the crowd can sometimes be repulsive, it is a must in Prague.