Vyšehrad (Czech for 'high castle') is a fortified town in the middle of Prague. The town is located just south of the historic Old Town. The town is surrounded by meters high city walls and city gates. It belongs to the Prague 2 district. You will find there, among other things: the Church of St. Peter and Paul (Kostel sv. Petra a Pavla) and the adjacent Vyšehrad cemetery.
The fortified town was founded by the Přemyslids in the 10th century. It was later expanded in Romanesque and Gothic style. The current appearance is mainly determined by baroque elements.
In Vyšehrad you will also find nice restaurants such as “U Vratislava” about which you will find more information in another blog.
Saint Peter and Paul Church (in Czech: Bazilika svatého Petra a Pavla) is a basilica within the historic fortified town of Vyšehrad. The basilica is best known for the famous cemetery that is located on the north and east sides of the building. Here is the final resting place of many famous Czech persons such as:
Composers: Bedřich Smetana and Antonín Dvořák
Writers: Božena Němcová and Karel Čapek
Artists: Alfons Mucha and Mikoláš Aleš;
Soprano: Ema Destinnova.
History
In the year 1070 King Vratislav I founded a chapter house on the place where the basilica stands today. Construction of the collegiate church also began in that period. It was a three-aisled church with a crypt. Since the 11th century, the church has also been used as a burial place for kings and dukes of the Přemysl lineage and the Bohemian Empire. The church suffered severe fire damage in 1249 but was restored. In 1370 the church was almost completely demolished and provided with three aisles, with a number of rectangular chapels on the sides of the aisles. The church was re-vaulted in 1565. At the end of the 16th century, the church was expanded with a new presbytery and at the beginning of the 17th century with a new vestry. Extensive rebuilding was carried out from 1723 to 1729. At that time the church had no towers, only a small spire with a bell on the roof. At the end of the 19th century it was decided that the church had to be renovated in order to achieve a neo-Gothic style. This renovation led to the current construction of the basilica. Between 1988 and 1994, the interior of the church was restored. In 2003, Pope John Paul II promoted the church to a minor papal basilica.
The rebuilding 1885-1887
The renovation took place from 1885 to 1887 after a design by architect Josef Mocker. During this renovation, the church received a completely new facade and two towers, each 58 meters high. These towers are divided into five floors, the spire of which is decorated with finials. The towers each have three narrow spire windows on each side on the 3rd floor and 2 wider spire windows on the 4th floor. The spires are decorated with corner pinnacles.
Vyšehrad Cemetery (in Czech: Vyšehradský hřbitov) is a cemetery at the Church of Saints Peter and Paul on the grounds of Vyšehrad Castle in Prague, Czech Republic. The cemetery has become famous for the many Czech celebrities buried there, such as composers, artists, sculptors, writers, scientists and politicians.
History
The cemetery was founded in 1869 by priest and writer Václav Svatopluk Štulc on a cemetery that had been there since 1660. Vyšehrad has been the place where the former kings and queens of the Czech Republic were buried. During the revival of cultural awareness in the mid-19th century, people wanted to make Vyšehrad the national cemetery. Architect Antonín Wiehl (1846-1910) designed the surrounding arcade in Italian style with accompanying tombs; he himself is buried in one of these tombs.
Slavin pantheon
On the east side of the cemetery is the Slavín pantheon, where 'Slavín' refers to the Slavs. This pantheon, also designed by architect Antonín Wiehl, and built between 1889 and 1893 is the resting place of 55 people; it is also a national monument. The idea of the pantheon is to bury the great and distinguished Czechs here like the persons mentioned above.
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