St. Vitus Cathedral
St. Vitus Cathedral, formally the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert, is the seat of the Archbishop of Prague and the largest and most important church in the Czech Republic. Enclosed within the precincts of Prague Castle, its towers and spires dominate the city's skyline and form the spiritual centre of the Czech nation.
Begun in 1344 under Emperor Charles IV and the architect Matthias of Arras, continued by Peter Parler, the cathedral took nearly six centuries to complete, finally being finished in 1929. It contains the tomb and richly decorated Chapel of St Wenceslaus, the Bohemian crown jewels, royal mausoleum and the burial sites of Bohemian kings, queens and bishops, as well as a celebrated Art Nouveau window by Alphonse Mucha.
A masterpiece of Gothic architecture with later additions, St. Vitus is both a coronation church and a national pantheon. As a working cathedral and one of the chief attractions of Prague Castle, it draws vast numbers of pilgrims and visitors who come to admire its soaring nave, stained glass and historic treasures.
- Annual visitors
- ≈ 1,500,000
- Location
- 50.0908, 14.4006
- Local time
- 00:34 (Europe/Prague)
🕘 Visiting hours
| Mon–Sat | 09:00–17:00 |
| Sun | 12:00–17:00 |
Within Prague Castle hours; winter close ~16:00; Sunday opens after morning Mass; approximate
✨ Saints & blessed venerated here
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Wenceslaus (Vaclav) Saint
Patron of Bohemia; his richly decorated chapel and tomb are the cathedral's holiest spot
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Vitus Saint
Patron and title saint of the cathedral, holding his relics
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Adalbert of Prague Saint
Co-patron and bishop-martyr venerated in the cathedral
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John of Nepomuk Saint
His massive silver tomb is a major feature of the cathedral
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Ludmila of Bohemia Saint
Grandmother of St Wenceslaus, Bohemian martyr enshrined at the cathedral
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Sigismund Saint
Relics translated to the cathedral; has a dedicated chapel
Care & donations
Metropolitan Chapter of St. Vitus (Archdiocese of Prague)
Part of Prague Castle ticket for full access; free entry to rear section
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