The Last Judgment mosaic on St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague / Mozaika Poslední soud
N 50° 05.435 E 014° 24.043
33U E 457132 N 5548874
The ceremonial entrance to St. Vitus's Cathedral from the southern side of the Third Courtyard and the Royal Palace, known as the Golden Gate, carry the Mosaic of the Last Judgment.
Waymark Code: WM67VB
Location: Hlavní město Praha, Czechia
Date Posted: 04/19/2009
Views: 254
The St. Vitus Cathedral mosaic encompasses 84 square meters (904 square feet) and depicts the Last Judgment in triptych form. It was completed in 1371 at the request of Charles IV, king of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, who, during his reign, made Prague the empire's center of power, religion, and knowledge.
In the mosaic's center panel is the figure of Christ surrounded by angels; kneeling beneath them are the figures of six saints of the Czech lands. On the triptych's two side panels are images of heaven and hell. Thirty-one shades of colored glass, plus gilded tesserae, can be found in the approximately one million glass pieces that compose the mosaic. Originally, the entire background of the mosaic was gilded, hence the name of the southern portal of the cathedral - The Golden Gate.
The once-brilliantly colored and gilged mosaic is considered to be one of the most significant cultural heritage objects of the Czech Republic. It is the most important medieval mosaic North of the Alps and is of outstanding importance for its art history value, historical significance and scale of its technical execution.
The mosaic has been restored to its former glory in 2000.