Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the boy in the center. In Mucha's color language, blue stands for
the past, gold for the mythic, and red for the future. Besides all
the meaning, Mucha's art is simply a joy to behold. (And on the
bottom, the tasteful little ad for
Banka Slavie,
which paid for the
work, is hardly noticeable.)
Habsburg Emperor's Tomb:
Continue circulating around
the apse.
The big royal tomb (within the black iron fence) is of the
first Habsburg emperor. It dates from 1590, when Prague was a
major Habsburg city.
Relief of Prague:
As you walk around the high altar, study
the fascinating carved-wood relief of Prague. It depicts the victori-
ous Habsburg armies entering the castle after the Battle of White
Mountain, while the Protestant King Frederic escapes over the
Charles Bridge (before it had any statues). Carved in 1630, 10 years
after the famous event occurred, the relief also gives you a peek at
Prague in 1620, stretching from the Týn Church to the cathedral
(half-built at that time, up to where you are now). Notice that back
then, the Týn Church was Hussite, so the centerpiece of its facade
is not the Virgin Mary—but a chalice, symbol of Jan Hus' ideals.
The old city walls—now replaced by the main streets of the city—
stand strong. The Jewish Quarter (the slummy, muddy zone along
the riverside below the bridge on the left) fills land no one else
wanted.
Apse:
Circling around the high altar, you pass graves of
bishops, including the tomb of St. Vitus (behind the chair of the
bishop). The stone sarcophagi contain kings from the Přemysl
dynasty (12th-14th centuries). Locals claim the gigantic, shiny
tomb of St. John of Nepomuk has more than a ton of silver (for
more on St. John of Nepomuk, see page 67). After the silver tomb,
look up at the royal box from where the king would attend Mass in
his jammies (an elevated corridor connected his private apartment
with his own altar-side box pew).
Look for the finely carved wood panel that gives a Counter-
Reformation spin on the Wars of Religion. It shows the “barbaric”
Protestant nobles destroying the Catholic icons in the cathedral
after their short-lived victory.
Wenceslas Chapel:
A fancy roped-off chapel (right transept)
houses the tomb of St. Wenceslas,
surrounded by precious 14th-
century murals showing scenes of his life (see description on page
77), and a locked door leading to the crown jewels. The Czech
kings used to be crowned right here in front of the coffin, draped
in red. The chapel is roped off because the wallpaper is encrusted
with precious and semiprecious stones. (Lead us not into tempta-
tion.) You can view the chapel from either door (if the door facing
the nave is crowded, duck around to the left to find a door that is
most likely open).
