Basilica of St. Peter and Paul in Vyšehrad undergoing restoration
Work is underway to reconstruct the roof of the Basilica of St. Peter and Paul in Vyšehrad, one of the most significant landmarks of Prague. The new slate tiles are being imported specially for this purpose from the US and Spain and will be laid according to the original design by the building’s chief architect Josef Mocker.
The impressive twin towers of the basilica standing tall on a hill above the Vltava River and the adjacent Vyšehrad cemetery, the final resting place of many famous Czechs, including author Karel Čapek and composer Antonín Dvořák, attract millions of visitors to Vysehrad every year.
The history of the church – which was only elevated to the status of a basilica in 2003 by Pope John Paul II – goes back a long way. Founded in 1070–1080 by the King Vratislaus II of Bohemia, the Romanesque church was ravaged by fire in 1249 and was rebuilt first in Gothic and later in neo-Gothic style. The current neo-Gothic appearance of the church dates back to 1903 and its chief architect was Josef Mocker.
In the years between 1988–1994 the interior of the church underwent a major reconstruction but further work is now needed on the outside.
Work on the roof began last summer when it started leaking in places where the slate titles were damaged or missing. According to the dean of the chapter, Michal Němeček, the start of repairs was delayed by the delivery of new slate tiles, which the chapter had to order from abroad.
“Part of the roofing is dark and part is light and we want to recreate the exact colour scheme and pattern designed by the architect, Josef Mocker. Unfortunately, the slate that was there, which is of Czech origin, is no longer available in such quality, so we had to look further afield for it. The light slate that workers are using is from the United States and the darker coloured one is from Spain,"
The basilica's restoration is being supported by subsidies from the Ministry of Culture and the Prague City Council, which provided CZK 2 million for the repair work. According to Prague Councilor for Culture Jiří Pospíšil, it is hugely important to preserve this legacy.
"The Basilica of St. Peter and Paul is an important cultural and spiritual site not only for Prague, but for our entire country. And of course it is a major tourist attraction as well. So we want to subsidize its maintenance as far as possible.”
The repairs are expected to cost around CZK 45 million. The chapter has also launched a public collection and is raising money through the sale of fundraising items. Michal Němeček says people are always generous when it comes to preserving the country’s cultural legacy.
“One of the fundraising products that people can buy to support the restoration work are ceramic crosses, in which a piece of the old slate tiles from the roof is embedded. “
People who support the effort will thus have something very special in their possession – a genuine piece of the old slate roof of the Basilica of St. Peter and Paul.
The restoration of the basilica is to be completed in 2029.
Related
-
Podskalí: a gem of Prague’s riverside
Nestled beneath the Vyšehrad Rock on the banks of the Vltava River, Podskalí is a lesser-known but historically rich area of Prague.
