St. Vitus Cathedral

Here is St. Vitus' Cathedral, which is inside the Hrad. I got here around 8:45 this morning and had to wait until 9 before the doors opened. My hair was still wet from showering earlier and it was bitterly cold with the wind whipping around the open spaces up on the top of this hill.

Here is a close up of the water spouts which are quite cool.
Here is the backside of the church which is in the palace courtyard. I didn't have much time to read about the entire complex, which is ridiculously large and choc-a-bloc with buildings with long and complicated histories. But I did clearly get the sense that each major historical era created yet another grandiose building within the walls of this palace. This church was started in he 1300s and, interestingly, was built on the site of the pagan sacrificial alter for the god Svantovit (hence the name St. Vitus) which goes back to the early-900s.

Here is one part inside. Aesthetically, this is absurd. I think a person would go slightly mad working in a place like this day after day. It really makes one appreciate modernism. (And, perhaps that is why Czechs really go in for modern art. I saw at least six modern art museums as I was working my way through the downtown.)
It was ridiculously dark and mildewy inside. And freaking cold. I can't imagine what it is like to go to a service in Winter.