Aerial view of Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul, Vysehrad, Prague
The Basilica of St Peter and St Paul in Prague often makes the top ten list of the “Best Churches in Prague” but rarely tops the “Must See Attractions” list. And yet, I find it to be one of the most impressive pieces of Slavic Art Nouveau architecture in the city. When you see pictures of this place or walk inside its doors, it’s unbelievable that this church isn’t the first place people are told to visit when they come to Prague. Even if you’re not religious, the sweeping art nouveau murals which envelope this building are extraordinary and a must-see when travelling to Prague!
Touring the building also serves as a history lesson about the Slavic people, Czech culture and even art. The basilica doesn’t have St. Vitus’s lofty status or the draw that St. Nicholas’ Church gets. But if you make an effort to come down and visit, you’ll see what the rest of those unknowing tourists are missing out on.
The church was founded in 1070 by the Czech King Vratislav II. Initially, it was a simple Romanesque Basilica. Prince Vratislav II had the church built in purposeful opposition to St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle. Almost a hundred years earlier, his predecessor, Wenceslaus I, had built St. Vitus Cathedral. But rather than pray instead of this old church, Vratislav wanted to make something of his own to mark his reign. In Vyšehrad, Vratislav was said to have brought 12 baskets of stones upon which they built the foundation of what would become the Basilica of St Peter and St Paul.
But, in 1249, a great fire destroyed the church, and the original design was lost to the ages. The first reconstruction was a relatively meagre endeavour meant to restore the building only in function and not in fashion. Years later, a baroque frontispiece was added to the church, but the neo-gothic renovations in the 1880s removed any trace of this architecture.
In 1885, a new renovation was commissioned to create an elaborate, neo-gothic church. Master builder Joseph Mocker was the original architect, but he died halfway through construction. His partner František Mikš finished the job. Now having complete artistic control of the operations, Mikš made a few changes to the original layout to suit his own personal style. His main addition to the design was the towering facade that the church is now so famous for. As it peaks out of the hillside in Vysehrad.
The Basilica is located inside the complex of Vysehrad. Vysehrad is one of Prague’s old fortresses situated on a high cliff above the river Vltava. From here, soldiers could easily see any incoming armies and it was a prime location for Prague’s infantry. In the 11th century, Vysehrad was also the seat of the first King of Bohemia. After the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV began to build the Prague Castle in the early 14th century, Vyšehrad was abandoned as the royal family’s primary residence.
The complex was left to deteriorate for years and wasn’t touched until Charles IV decided to renew the area. He wanted to build new fortifications, a new royal palace, and finally see to the renovations at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. But, with the Hussite war’s dawn, progress was discontinued, and the church was ransacked once more. It wouldn’t be for another few hundred years that the church would be restored to a new form of heavenly glory.
November – March
Monday – Saturday 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday 11:30 am – 5 pm
April – October
Monday – Saturday 10 am – 6 pm (5:30 on Thursday)
Sunday 11:30 am – 6 pm
There is a small entrance fee to access the church. Adult entry costs 90 CZK ($4 USD), which is more than worth it to explore this treasure!
Upon walking up to the church one of the first things you’ll be drawn to, are the two huge towers, which flank the skyline. Let your eyes float up to the top of the spires, and notice that they are indeed hollow. Their design was influenced by the chestnut flowers’ cone-like formations. Architect Miks was inspired by these plants, which bloom right behind the church in Vyšehrad cemetery. Decorating the spires’ outer edges and the triangular gables are frilled, petal-like protrusions which make the entire structure look more naturalistic than man-made.
The design of the building is quite unique as it features no transept. A transept is the part of the building that forms the classical shape of a cross and cuts through the center of the church. Since the building has no horizontal intersection, when you look at it from the front it almost looks like a movie set, an exterior with nothing behind it. So when you walk inside, it’s almost a surprise to see his lofty, extended interior.
Above the central entrance door is the tympanum, decorated an intricate carving of Jesus standing tall beside his apostles, during the Last Judgement. Below the group of the apostles, St. Michael is centred, ushering people into heaven. A chorus of angel trumpets their horns above his head, announcing their entry to the heavenly realm. The people around St. Michael are sculpted as crippled and in pain, weighed down by the burden of their sins.
Above the central portal is a great pediment featuring the two saints’ statues after which the church is named after. St. Peter and St. Paul are set on either side of the sculpture of Jesus, crowned with a golden halo, reaching his hand out in prayer to the people below.
Mosaics on the church’s frontispiece, set into quatrefoils frames, depict St. Peter and St. Paul’s portraits. Peter’s symbols are a set of keys, which are the keys to heaven. Peter is the one with a bright white beard wearing papal vestments. Paul holds a book and a sword with a hilt in the shape of a cross in his hands. Paul is depicted as traditionally represented with a long pointed beard and a more modest, grey robe.
The portals on either side of the central entrance are adorned with brightly coloured mosaics. Etched onto the church’s door are the symbols of the coat of arms of the Czech Republic. The silver double-tailed lion on a red background and the black Moravian eagle are repeated across the grand entrance doors.
Above the entry doors, on your left, is the emblem of the Vysehrad Chapter house. The chapter was established here at the basilica around 1070 at the behest of Bohemia’s first king. The branch was subordinate only to Rome and could influence many aspects of Bohemia’s internal and foreign policy. Their emblem is two golden keys crossed tied together by rope. A symbol you’ll come across multiple times throughout your visit here.
As you step into the church, the first thing you’ll be stuck with is the fact that from floor to ceiling, the entire building is COVERED in murals and paintings. Not a column, nor walls, has been left untouched. The detailed pictures sweep across the walls like embroidery covering a royal gown. Floral trimmings cover every inch of the temple, giving you the feeling of walking into a forest.
As you walk inside, the light shimmers off every surface. Gilding and gold leaf were used in abundance during the renovations. But unlike other neo-gothic cathedrals and churches of the time, this one is not purely high gothic, but instead embraces art nouveau sensibilities. Art nouveau was sweeping the nation during the time church was being renovated. Art nouveau attempted to reject academic, historical art and instead embraced natural forms, movement, asymmetry and modern materials.
The addition of art nouveau inside this old church feels shockingly appropriate as the first King of Bohemia himself aimed to reject any previously established traditions when he originally built this church.
The Basilica’s most extraordinary characteristic is the gilded frescos, which surround the faithful who come to pray. These paintings are ornate, undulating images by painter František Urban and his wife, Marie Urbanová-Zahradnická. These paintings look famously similar to the iconic designs made by famous Czech painter Alphonse Mucha. Many people who visit the church might even be convinced they were by Mucha if they further inquired. But Mucha was merely a trendsetter who inspired Urban and Zahradnická to fall on the bandwagon. Women and men, with delicate features and cascading hair, embellish the walls and archways.
Running up every pillar are blooming patterns and colourful ribbons. The walls contain lots of vivid greens and deep brown hues, continuing the woodland theme. Even the dark church benches were carved with oak leaves, bringing the outdoors inside. Not a single item inside the church was left untouched by Art Nouveau’s seductive technique.
The murals on the northern wall feature images of St. Cyril and St. Methodius’ arrival in Bohemia. St. Cyril and St. Methodius were two brothers, theologians and missionaries who made their mark in Christianity by evangelizing the Slavs. They are known as the “Apostles to the Slavs.” Their life story is told across these murals framed by a series of angels who look down on the scene from heaven. Although there might not be any text to follow the images, it’s a visual way of understanding this part of Czech history. On the south wall, the murals depict the establishment of Vysehrad in the Czech Republic.
Look up at the vaults on the ceiling. Even they are painted with images of beautiful angels in prayer, looking down on the faithful below.
Brightly coloured stained glass enhances the outer walls of the Basilica. Each window depicts a scene from the bible. But what makes these windows even more interesting to study is to look at the elements of architecture that have been incorporated into the glasswork. This is done almost to evoke the idea that architecture itself is a form of religious devotion. Renaissance tracery windows, gothic quatrefoils and baroque altarpieces all serve as the framing devices around these dramatic biblical stories.
Walking into the church, we will study it from the right side chapels, towards the altar and then continue back down the left side chapels and finish in the treasury. The first chapel you see upon entering on your right is the Chapel of St. Clement. Here, you can look at a Romanesque sarcophagus from the 12th century. During the Romanesque period, a crypt was built in the church to bury the first Bohemian king and his descendants. This coffin most likely belongs to one of these royal family members. Despite its modest and unassuming appearance, it’s one of the oldest treasures of the church.
Inside the Chapel of Czech Patron Saints is a fabulous neo-gothic altar sculpted by Czech artist J. Kastner in 1910. In the center of the altar is Christ on the cross, heavenly rays illuminating from his body and from behind the cross, forming a golden backdrop. Below him are gathered St. Cyril and St. Methodius dressed in brighly coloured robes. In front of them kneels St. Wenceslas on the left and St. Ludmila on the right. On the left side of the group are Czech saints St. Vit and St. Vojtěch, and behind them stands St. Sigismund and members of brotherhood of martyrs. On the right side, kneels St. Jan Nepomucký and St. Prokop. Above them stands St. Norbert, Vol. Anežka, and Damian, St. Ivan, vol. Josef.
One of the most important items found here in the basilica is the Dešťová or the icon of the Virgin Mary of Rain. She can be found in the fourth side chapel from the right after entering the church. This wooden polychrome icon depicts the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus set against a vibrant blue backdrop. The background is textured to give the mother and child the appearance of being caught in a rainstorm. The ground on which they stand is bright green like it is growing swiftly beneath them.
The painting was made around 1356 and is legend to have been painted by St. Luke himself. This icon is one in which people come from all over the country to pray in front of, especially in times of drought. The reason for this is because in 1638 there was a great drought in Prague which the icon is said to have stopped. During the drought, one of the priests of the Vyšehrad chapter had a dream that if he held a procession with the Madonna, it would start to rain before the crowds made their way to a nearby monastery. The priest organized the march, and sure enough, it rained in Prague for the next three days. The people of Bohemia saw it as a miracle, and ever since, the painting has been venerated by all those who believe in it.
To the left of the Chapel of the Virgin of the Ramparts is a bronze memorial plaque placed on a column close to the altar. This memorial plaque is dedicated to Vratislav II, the first King of Bohemia. The plaque is a modern addition to the church added in 1992 on the 900th anniversary of the King’s death. If you look at the shape embedded onto the plaque, it models the original basilica floor plan. On either side of the statue of the King are two crests, one which contains the black eagle of Moravia and the other has the two crossed keys which are the emblem of the Vyšehrad religious chapter.
On either side of the presbytery, there are murals depicting St. Peter and Paul’s legend. We can see the ‘Conversation of St.Paul‘ on the top left pediment on the northern wall. The following small scenes show his miracles: healing the disabled, his conversations with God while in jail and finally his beheading and subsequent canonization
On the southern side, we have the legend of St. Peter. On the top, we see Jesus converting his first disciples, which include Peter himself. In the lower images, we can see scenes of Jesus and Peter’s life together. It follows their journey leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion, including the moment when Peter denied Jesus. At the bottom of the mural, we can spot St. Peter performing miracles and his eventual death in the same manner as he had seen Jesus be put to death.
The main altar, framed in front of a series of brilliant stained glass windows, contains depictions of the Slav Saints Cyril and Methodius. It was carved by the architect and woodcarver Josef Hrubeš. The entire altar took over 5 years to be completed and was finished in 1889.
The gracefully carved wooden pulpit on the left of the nave features reliefs of the various priests who preached and were prior members of the Vyšehrad Chapter. The pulpit was designed by architect Josef Mocker and carved by woodworker V. Mráz in 1883.
After getting over the initial awe and wonder of the interior, take a walk towards the sacristry. Although you cannot enter the doors of the sacristy, take a look at the mural painted above the entry. Here we find a large baroque painting depicting the legend of the “Devil’s Pillar.”
The legend goes that a priest in Bohemia, had a severe problem with gambling. In the hopes of freeing himself from his debts, he asked the devil to trade his soul for some luck. But shortly after making the deal, he greatly regretted this decision and asked the devil to forget the agreement. But the devil would not give up on a soul that easily. Instead the devil made him another bet. He told him that if the priest could finish celebrating mass before the devil could bring a column from St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome to Prague, he would release him from his contract. The priest ran as fast as he could to the church where he began preforming mass.
Of course, the devil cheated, and when he arrived by magic with the pillar in hand, St. Peter appeared and threw the devil into the sea three times. Each time he threw him, St. Peter broke the column until it was broken into three pieces. This allowed the priest to finish preforming mass, and his soul was saved. The three pieces of the Devil’s pillar were brought to Prague and can still be found in a nearby park close to the church.
The Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi contains a neo-gothic altar with paintings of the life of St. Francis surrounding a large portrait of the saint himself. One of the best ways to identify St. Francis is by how he holds his hands outwards to show off the stigma that appears on them.
St. Jan Nepomucký or St. John of Nepomuk is one of the most famous saints in Bohemia. Nepomuk was drowned in the Vltava river at the behest of Wenceslaus IV when Nepomuk would not divulge the queen of Bohemia’s confessions to the King. His chapel here in the church contains a Neo-Gothic relic altar. Across the altar are scenes from the life of St. John of Nepomuk by Josef Mathauser who painted it around 1700. In the center of the altar of dozens of relics which are said to contain pieces of the saint himself.
Inside the Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows is an alluring sculpture of the Pietà by Ferdinand Stuplesser made in 1898. It was modelled off Michelangelo‘s famous Pietà in Rome but features sharper edges and more angular drapery, reflecting the style used in medieval manuscripts.
The Vyšehrad Chapter was one of the more affluent monastic groups and collected valuable liturgical collections over the years. But in 1611, many of their most precious objects were looted during the Hussite wars. A few of their most treasured items were hidden away and can be seen on display inside the treasury. The Treasury inside the church contains all different precious ecclesiastical Czech objects. Baroque illustrated manuscripts, golden chalices and gem covered books hid behind protective glass.
Some of the most precious items included in the treasury are reliquaries. A reliquary is a container for relics such as a saints’ physical remains, such as bones, pieces of clothing, or some object associated with saints or other religious figures. Here in the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul’s treasury you can find
St Valentine’s relics. It is supposedly a chip of his shoulder blade. It was lost for years, and as recently as 2002, it was uncovered hidden away inside a gold-and-glass Baroque reliquary in the back of a long-forgotten storage closet.
The set behind the church is the Vyšehrad Cemetery. Built in 1869, the cemetery was created as a resting place for some of Prague’s most treasured creatives. Here lies dozens of composers, artists, sculptors, writers, as well as those revolutionaries from the world of science and politics. The cemetery is the largest in Prague spreading over 0.81 hectares.
The most majestic part of the cemetery is the Slavín Tomb, designed by Antonín Wiehl. The Slavín Tombs are considered a ‘pantheon,’ “a building in which the illustrious dead of a nation are buried or honoured.” The dramatic sculpture atop the tombs was carved by Josef Mauder. The pantheon contains 44 burial tombs, as well as various coffins and urns. 55 people were buried here under the magnanimous sculptures of “Mourning” and “Victory” represented as two alluring women.
Buried here is Alphonse Mucha, king of Czech Art Nouveau, along with; composer Antonín Dvořák, Art Nouveau sculptor Ladislav Šaloun, author Karel Čapek and many more.
The first person to be buried inside the Slavin Tomb was poet Julius Zeyer in 1901. On the tomb is inscribed one of his verses, “Its sons’ dust this mourning country returns to the earth. Their deeds it will, rejoicing, declare to all mankind.” Above the panels on the Slavín is written their motto, “Though dead, they still speak.”
The rest of the tombs and gravestones found throughout the cemetery are wildly creative and works of art. It seemed like one after another, when people would pass away and be buried here, there was an expectation that their gravestone wouldn’t be something simple or traditional, rather something far more extraordinary.
There is even a large arcade, decorated with Tuscan sandstone pillars and a vaulted ceiling covered in art nouveau style paintings.
This brings us to the end of the tour, but if you’re interested in spending more time in Vyšehrad, I implore you to do so! Just like this church is such a hidden gem, Vyšehrad has so many incredible places to visit and excellent restaurants that are happily tucked away from the tourist hoards.
In the comments, let me know if you were surprised not to see this church on other “must-see” lists in Prague or if you’ve been there before and were just as amazed as me by what you discovered!
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