Saint Wenceslas Cathedral, Gothic Revival cathedral in Olomouc, Czech Republic
Saint Wenceslas Cathedral is a Gothic Revival cathedral on Wenceslas Square in Olomouc. Its pale beige facade has two 68-metre towers with pointed spires flanking three portals, while a 100.65-metre tower with a clock rises behind. The interior has pink-and-white striped piers, a ribbed vault, a checkered floor and a gilded triptych altar.
Founded around 1107 by Prince Svatopluk of Olomouc and consecrated in 1131, the church was rebuilt in Gothic style after fires in 1204 and 1266 under Bishop Bruno of Schauenburg. A neo-Gothic reconstruction in 1883–1892 by Gustav Meretta and R. Völkel added the two 68-metre front towers and the 100.65-metre main tower.
The cathedral is the seat of the Archdiocese of Olomouc and the metropolitan church of the Moravian ecclesiastical province. Its name honours Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia, killed in 935; Wenceslas Square was named for him on the thousandth anniversary of his death. In 1469, Czech and Moravian lords proclaimed Matthias Corvinus Czech king inside the church.
The church opens daily and offers guided tours that cover architecture and religious history. Visitors can climb the towers and enjoy a panoramic view of the old town from above.
The rear tower is the second-tallest church tower in the Czech Republic and rises above the entire Moravian plain. Visitors often notice the colored glass windows in the chancel, installed during the 1880s and depicting biblical scenes.
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