006-055 THE PRAGUE CASTLE III - THE ST. VITUS CATHEDRAL 

Already for a thousand years the Prague Castle has been dominating the left bank of the river Vltava, towering monumentally above the city of Prague - the seat of Kings and Presidents, the symbol of our emancipation. Archaeology and art history have disclosed secular and church buildings erected during the reigns of Břetislav 1st (1034-1055), Spytihněv 2nd (1055-1061) and Soběslav 1st (1125-1140), the works of mediaeval artists as well as simple people. Above the pre-Romanesque buildings a Gothic Royal Palace was built during the reigns of the last rulers of the Přemysl Dynasty and the Kings of the Luxemburg Dynasty, as well as a magnificent, unfinished cathedral and various noblemen's palaces. During the reign of the Kings of the Jagellon Dynasty and the first Habsburgs, the Renaissance style penetrated into the architecture of the Prague Castle. Developments were cruelly impaired by the great fire at the castle in the year 1541, but building activities were resumed during the reigns of Ferdinand 1st, Maxmilian 2nd, Rudolph 2nd, as well as Matthias and all the Kings after him right up to Maria Theresia, during whose reign the architectural history of the castle was united into the continuous coulisse built round the castle courtyards. The last buildings of the 19th century were the St. Vitus Cathedral which was finished at this time in the neo-Gothic style, and the houses on George Square. The 20th century brought new architectural reconstructions to the Prague Castle. After the year 1948 the castle became the symbol of the rule of the Czechoslowak people and lately it has received the greatest possible care in the form of extensive restorations of the earlier buildings and the works of art and cultural monuments. The Prague Castle has become our most valuable National Cultural Monument. 

Text to the photographs (Photographs by Petr Delev): 

1. The St. Vitus Cathedral, a view from the east. This, the most extensive building of the Prague Castle precinct, was founded by Charles IV in the year 1344 to be built in place of the Basilica from the late 11th century. The first architect of the cathedral was Matthias from Arras, who was in charge of the building till the year 1352, the second was Peter Parléř (1353-1399). The cathedral choir was finished in 1385 and restored during the years 1862-1873 by the master-builder Josef Kranner. 

2. The Statue of St. George, a work of the Gothic era by Martin and Jiří from Kluže dating from 1373; it was restored after the year 1562. During the years 1662-1928 the statue had stood on a Baroque pedestal, the modern installation was designed by architect Josip Plečník. 

3. The Gold Portal of the Cathedral is the work of Peter Parléř and dates from the years 1366-1367. Above the bent arches is a mosaic dating from the years 1370-71, representing the Last Judgement. The lattice in the portal is by Jaroslav Horejc dating from 1954, the two side scenes in mosaic inside the portal were designed by Karel Svolinský in 1939. The cathedral door is the work of Jan Sokol, from the year 1961. 

4. and 6. The supporting system of the southern side of the choir is the work of Peter Parléř, the second builder of the cathedral, and comes from round about 1380. 

5. The high cathedral tower, founded by Peter Parléř in the year 1396, later built by his sons and successors right up to the times of the Hussite Wars. The Renaissance gallery is the work of Boniface Wohlmuth and Hans Tirol from the years 1560-62. The onion-shaped roof was designed in 1770 by N. Paccassi. 

7. The cathedral from the Royal Gardens. A view over the Stag Moat at the northern mediaeval fortifications of the Castle and the majestic structure of the Cathedral. The Royal Gardens were founded in 1534 according to the designs of the Italian garden architect Francesco.