After the repair, the underground of St. Vitus Cathedral and the tomb of Czech kings

Prague - A new ventilation system, lighting that models the space, and inserted walkways protecting archaeological finds have been brought about by the reconstruction of the underground areas in St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle. The places documenting the ancient history of the most famous Czech temple have undergone conservation and construction modifications along with the Royal Crypt. The four-month work cost nearly six million crowns, and the Administration of Prague Castle expects that, especially for climatic reasons, visits to the cathedral's basement will only be possible by prior appointment.

Access to the underground is via stairs separated from the cathedral space by a grille. The basement rooms with low ceilings begin with the crypt of Cosmas and Damian, which is the eastern crypt of St. Vitus basilica beneath the choir of today’s cathedral, said Petr Měchura from the Heritage Care Department of the Office of the President of the Republic during a tour, who supervised the restoration work.

Visitors can admire the remnants of historical architecture; however, the view for a layperson may be complicated by the presence of examples from various construction phases - for instance, next to the Romanesque apse of the crypt is the later masonry from the construction of Peter Parler - the bases of the choir pillars. "It is a bit confusing for visitors, so it is important for them to have a guide who can acquaint them with the history," he mentions another reason why the operation will be limited.

A large archaeological survey began in the cathedral's underground in 1927, led by architect Kamil Hilbert. "Unexpectedly, many finds were discovered, for example, well-preserved sections of masonry from Spytihněv's basilica and fragments of an older rotunda, which experts did not expect. They decided to present the finds and also allowed for future surveys. The area was therefore roofed, and by 1929 it was possible to visit it for the millennial celebrations. Unfortunately, since then, the spaces have gone through minimal maintenance," Měchura says.

Along with the intense visitor space, outdated lighting, unfavorable climatic conditions, and very limited ventilation options, minimal maintenance has negatively impacted the appearance of all basement areas, he stated. Some visitors even entered the uncovered archaeological areas, thus damaging them.

The low ceiling of the basement consisted of unsightly concrete beams, so the aim of the reconstruction carried out by the DaM studio was, among other things, to suppress the view of the gray concrete. The adjustments were also participated in by archaeologists, who secured the archaeological areas through backfilling - this protects the masonry and allows for possible further access to the finds. Fragments of masonry were cleaned and conserved, and the interior of the Royal Crypt, including the sarcophagi and mosaics, was also restored.

Examples of historical architectural elements, primarily column capitals, will be supplemented by a 3D model on a screen placed on the wall of a large box concealing the air conditioning system. This brings air from the cathedral into the basement and partially exhausts it back and partially outside the cathedral. The model will show interested parties the basement in relation to the above-ground areas of the cathedral.

Czech monarchs are buried partially in the cathedral, in the Royal Mausoleum, but more remains lie directly beneath it in the Royal Crypt. Other Czech monarchs are buried in the choir of the cathedral.

The vaulted space of the crypt, decorated with a golden mosaic, is dominated by the bronze sarcophagus of Charles IV; beside him are the joint remains of Charles's wives, and among the ten sarcophagi are also the remains of George of Poděbrady, Ladislaus the Posthumous, and rulers from the Habsburg family. The Royal Crypt was built shortly after the death of Emperor Ferdinand I in 1564. Its current form was given by architects Kamil Hilbert and Kamil Roškot in the 1920s and 1930s.