Page 104 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Prague

102  PR A GUE AREA B Y AREA

2 St Vitus’s Cathedral
Katedrála Sv. Víta, Václava a Vojtécha

Work began on the city’s most distinctive landmark in 1344 on
the orders of John of Luxembourg. The first architect was the
French Matthew of Arras. After his death, Swabian Peter Parler
took over. His masons’ lodge continued to work on the building
until the Hussite Wars. Finally completed by 19th- and 20th-
century architects and artists, the cathedral houses the crown
jewels and the tomb of “Good King” Wenceslas (pp22–3).
St Vitus’s Cathedral
Gargoyles This 19th-century engraving shows
On the ornate west front, how the cathedral looked before
gutter spouts are given the additions made in 1872–1929.
their traditional disguise.

KEY
1 West front
2 The Rose Window, located
above the portals, was designed by
František Kysela in 1925–7. It depicts
scenes from the biblical story of
the creation.
3 Twin west spires
4 Nave
5 Triforium
6 The Renaissance bell tower is
capped with a Baroque “helmet”.
7 Chancel
8 To Royal Palace (see pp106–107).
9 The tomb of St Wenceslas is
connected to an altar, decorated Main entrance
with semi-precious stones.

926 Rotunda of 1344 King John of 1619 Calvinists
St Vitus built by Luxembourg founds take over cathe- 1872 Joseph Mocker
St Wenceslas Gothic cathedral. French dral as house begins work on
architect Matthew of of prayer the west nave
Arras begins work Bust of Peter Parler
on triforium
1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
1060 Building of Tomb of Přemysl Otakar II 1421 Hussites 1589 Royal tomb 1770 New steeple
triple-naved basilica occupy St Vitus’s completed added to tower after fire
begins on orders of
Prince Spytihněv 1356 Masterbuilder Peter 1929 Consecration of completed
Parler summoned to continue cathedral, nearly 1,000 years after
work on the cathedral death of St Wenceslas

102-103_EW_Prague.indd 102 20/03/17 11:28 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Starsight template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.9)
Date 28th August 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm