St. Vitus Cathedral rises from the heart of Prague Castle like a gothic fever dream, its twin spires piercing the sky above Hradčany and visible from almost every vantage point in the city. Construction began in 1344 under Charles IV, but this is very much a cathedral that refused to be finished quickly — it took nearly six centuries, reaching completion only in 1929. That layered timeline is part of what makes it so compelling: you're reading a physical document of Bohemian history, from medieval chapels encrusted with semi-precious stones to Art Nouveau stained glass windows designed by Alfons Mucha, all coexisting under one extraordinary roof.
Religious Place