St Vitus Treasury

Prague


On the right of the Second Courtyard, the Chapel of the Holy Cross (1763) houses the St Vitus Treasury, a spectacular collection of ecclesiastical bling that was founded by Charles IV in the 14th century. Gold and silver reliquaries crusted in diamonds, emeralds and rubies contain saintly relics ranging from fragments of the True Cross to the withered hand of a Holy Innocent.

The oldest items include a reliquary arm of St Vitus dating from the early 10th century, while the most impressive treasures include a gold coronation cross of Charles IV (1370) and a diamond-studded baroque monstrance of 1708.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Prague attractions

1. Plečník Monolith

0.04 MILES

A noteworthy feature near St Vitus Cathedral is a 16m-tall granite monolith dedicated to the victims of WWI, designed by Slovene architect Jože Plečník in…

2. St George Slaying the Dragon

0.05 MILES

Standing in Prague Castle's third courtyard is a copy of a 14th-century bronze figure of St George slaying the dragon; the original is on display in the…

3. Prague Castle Picture Gallery

0.06 MILES

The same Swedish army that looted the famous bronzes in the Wallenstein Garden in 1648 also nicked Rudolf II’s art treasures. This gallery in the castle's…

4. Great South Tower of St Vitus Cathedral

0.06 MILES

The cathedral's bell tower was left unfinished in the 15th century; its soaring Gothic lines are capped by a Renaissance gallery added in the late 16th…

5. St Vitus Cathedral

0.08 MILES

Built over a time span of almost 600 years, St Vitus is one of the most richly endowed cathedrals in central Europe. It is pivotal to the religious and…

6. Salm Palace

0.08 MILES

Overlooking the entrance to Prague Castle, the austerely neoclassical Salm Palace – built in 1810 as a luxury aristocratic residence – provides hanging…

7. Old Royal Palace

0.09 MILES

The Old Royal Palace is one of the oldest parts of Prague Castle, dating from 1135. It was originally used only by Czech princesses, but from the 13th to…

8. Powder Tower

0.1 MILES

A passage to the north of St Vitus Cathedral leads to the Powder Tower, also called Mihulka, which was built in the 15th century as part of the castle’s…