Probably no place in Prague is shrouded in so many legends and the misty haze of ancient history as Vyšehrad. The seat of mythical princes and the first Czech king, a witness to our past, and an inspiration for Czech mythology – mystery can be felt here literally at every step.
 
The same holds true for the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, which was granted the honorary title of Basilica Minor by Pope John Paul II in 2003. The foundations of this building were laid almost a millennium ago by the first Czech king, Vratislav I. However, after the monarchs moved to Prague Castle, Vyšehrad began to fade from Czech history. Charles IV later designated it as the starting point for the coronation ceremonies of Czech kings. The construction of the Gothic church, which was to replace the original Romanesque church, also began during his reign. However, the construction was never completed... After the great battle at Pankrác in 1420, in which the Hussites crushed the armies of Emperor Sigismund, a frenzied mob invaded Vyšehrad to plunder and destroy everything in its path.
 
At the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, the church received a new chancel and sacristy and its size was considerably reduced. It acquired its present neo-Gothic appearance in 1885–1903, based on the purist plans of Josef Mocker. Two massive towers were also built at that time and are now an unmissable landmark of the Prague panorama.
 
The richly decorated interior of the church is painted in the Art Nouveau style, inspired by the work of Alfons Mucha, among others. There is also a copy of a rare Gothic panel painting of Our Lady of Vyšehrad (Madonna of the Rain), to whom people fervently prayed during times of drought. Ornaments based on nature, such as leaves, flowers and undulating curves, adorn every inch of the basilica’s interior decoration – a place where history shakes hands with the present and touches eternity.