PRAGUE, Czech Republic. The centuries-old St. Vitus Cathedral, the largest and most significant church in the country, is nearing the completion of a major musical upgrade as a new organ is being installed.
An international team worked on Tuesday atop a three-story scaffolding above the cathedral’s main entrance, placing the final pipes of the grand instrument. The installation is expected to be completed by late August, with voicing and tuning to continue through the end of the year.
The first public performance on the new organ is scheduled for June 15 next year, coinciding with the feast of St. Vitus.
The new organ boasts approximately 6,000 pipes, ranging from just 7 millimeters (0.28 inches) to a towering 7 meters (23 feet) in length. The four-manual instrument was crafted by renowned German organ builder Gerhard Grenzing in his workshop near Barcelona, Spain. Grenzing has built nearly 140 organs and restored over 90 historical instruments across various countries.
After its completion in Spain, the organ was disassembled and transported to Prague in stages via truck.
St. Vitus Cathedral holds deep historical significance in Czech statehood, serving as the coronation and burial site for Czech kings. The Czech crown jewels are housed within its walls, and it was also the venue for the funeral Mass of Vaclav Havel, the country’s first president, on December 23, 2011.
The previous organ, built in the 1930s, was undersized for the cathedral’s vast space and prone to mechanical issues. Restoration was neglected during World War II and the subsequent decades under communist rule.
Efforts to replace the organ began in 2017 with a crowdfunding campaign that raised over 109 million Czech koruna ($5.2 million), covering about 98% of the total cost.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
