Petr Chotěbor – St. Vitus Cathedral

Heritage conservationist and archaeologist Ing. arch. Petr Chotěbor, CSc. will briefly remind us of the construction of the cathedral in the Middle Ages, with an emphasis on the building phases of Matyáš of Arras, Petr Parléř, and his successors. Some insights into the practice of the construction workshop can still be "read" from the building even after centuries. Scaffolding, which appears annually on some parts of the architecture, can also serve this purpose. The cathedral is subject to systematic expert care aimed at preserving the original structures and details to the maximum extent. Selected examples of restoration interventions will be presented in the lecture.

Ing. arch. Petr Chotěbor, CSc. is a heritage conservationist and archaeologist whose name is primarily associated with Prague Castle, which he has been professionally dedicated to for more than 40 years as an employee of the Department of Heritage Care at the Office of the President of the Republic. His domain primarily includes the Old Royal Palace and St. Vitus Cathedral, the history and ongoing maintenance of which will also be the topic of the lecture at the Faculty of Architecture of CTU. In addition to practical heritage care, Petr Chotěbor is also involved in research, architectural historical surveys, collection processing, exhibition preparation, publication, and lecture activities. Last but not least, he is the chairman of the Society of Friends of Antiquities, one of the oldest Czech associations focused on the recognition and protection of the national cultural heritage.