St. Vitus Cathedral and stained glass windows

 

For more than 600 years, the roofs of Prague Castle have been overlooked by the towers of St Vitus Cathedral. The cathedral, whose original name is St Vitus, St Wenceslas and St Adalbert Cathedral, is the biggest and the most important church in the Czech Republic. It’s the seat of the Archbishop of Prague and the place where saints, kings, princes and pmperors of Bohemia are buried. The coronations of the kings of Bohemia were held there until 1836. It’s one of the best examples of Gothic architecture.

 

St Vitus Cathedral consists of the central nave with narrow aisles with small chapels and the norhern transept. The chapels are illuminated by the light going through coloured windows showing many sacred motives. Stained glass windows by Alfons Mucha, the representative of Art Nouveau.

The masterpiece of St Vitus Cathedral is St Wenceslas Chapel created in the 14th century by Charles IV in honour to the patron of Czech lands St Wenceslas. This chapel is known for its beautiful and rich decorations. Another admired work of art is the tombstone of John of Nepomuk situated opposite the John Nepomuk’s Chapel.

 

Mucha Stained Class windows in the Cyril and Methodius and King Wenceslas Chapels

 

 

Stained-glass Window designed by Mucha at St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague (Early 1930s)

Coinciding with the Millennium Jubilee of the Czech patron saint St. Wenceslas (Duke of Bohemia), the Gothic reconstruction work for St. Vitas Cathedral in Prague was completed in 1929. The new stained glass window, designed by Mucha, was installed in the north nave in 1931.
The window portrays the boy St. Wenceslas with his grandmother St. Ludmila in the centre, surrounded by episodes from the lives of Saints Cyril and Methodius who spread Christianity among the Slavs. The image of Slavia is also included below Christ, and as an emblem of Slavia Bank who funded the stained glass window.