Let’s finish the construction of the St. Vitus Cathedral, the symbol of the Czech Republic.
Support the project of purchasing a new St. Vitus organ with a one-time donation. Just scan the QR code in your banking app on your phone. We would like to thank all donors.
Bank account number: 7191292/0800
V katedrále sv. Víta na Pražském hradě začíná instalace nových varhan – poprvé v historii tak katedrála získává nástroj, který odpovídá jejímu duchovnímu a architektonickému významu. Jde o historický milník završující téměř desetiletou snahu mnoha dárců, institucí i jednotlivců, kteří se spojili ve veřejné sbírce organizované Nadačním fondem Svatovítské varhany. Do završení celého projektu zbývá jediné – vybrat poslední 2,5 milionu korun, které pomohou dofinancovat kompletní proces instalace i potřebných měření. Oficiální slavnostní inaugurace nových varhan se dočkáme na svátek sv. Víta příští rok, 15. června 2026.
Do Svatovítské katedrály byly včera dopraveny největší dřevěné píšťaly nových varhan spolu se vzdušnicemi a dalšími částmi konstrukce.
Celková doprava varhan je náročným administrativním a logistickým podnikem. Dopravce vykládal materiál v ohrazeném prostoru na Hradčanském náměstí, odkud náklad putoval do katedrály. První návoz varhanních prvků skončil ve večerních hodinách. Nejméně dalších devět kamionů bude v dohledné době pokračovat v dopravování varhan.
Novináře a odbornou veřejnost zveme na brífink spojený s fototermínem 15. dubna 2025 v 16.00 hodin v katedrále k zahájení stavby varhan.
S radostí sledujeme intenzivní práci na přípravě staveniště pro nové varhany. Pracovníci již postavili lešení do výše triforia. Nyní provádějí pasportizaci prostoru kruchty. V další fázi postaví lešení určené pro montáž varhan na samotné kruchtě.
Novinářům a odborné veřejnosti připomínáme pozvánku na novinářský brífink spojený s fototermínem 15. dubna 2025 v 16.00 hodin v katedrále k zahájení stavby varhan.
It would be difficult to find a structure in our country, which could be the equal of the cathedral of St. Vitus. It is a spiritual institution that shapes our relationship with the Creator. It is the first basilica in the country. Moreover, while it may be seen as a visual textbook of Christianity, at the same time it is at the crossroads of our history, where decisions were made about historical outcomes in our land. It is one of the greatest works of art in our country, which in a minute space, concentrates many artistic stages in many contexts. The cathedral is a visual witness to past events and helped to shape our own identity. It is also, however, a living organism, which evolved over half a millennium and even today is still not complete.
It is hard to imagine Prague today without the silhouette of the cathedral. And yet, this silhouette actually looked quite different until recent times. Half of the building (the nave) was missing and was not completed till 1929. The Metropolitan Church is such monumental work, that it will probably never be absolutely completed. Nevertheless, something very significant is missing to this day because, at the completion of construction, there were insufficient funds to install a new organ in the western choir loft of the cathedral. Several attempts have been made; all have been unsuccessful. Finally, today we have a new opportunity. It is up to us to in a time of peace and freedom to fulfill the legacy of our predecessors, in particular, that of the father of the nation, Charles IV and to ‘complete’ the cathedral.
The organ, because of its magnificence, is called the ‘king of instruments’. But is not the instrument of earthly kings for the organ speaks in the voice of God that sometimes gently whispers and infuses our soul with peaceful joy and at other times roars and thunders, sending shivers up our spine. The beauty of the organ lies in the fact that in spite of its monumentality it fulfills the word of Him who did not come to be served, but to serve. Anyone who listens to the music of the organ, is taught humility. It leads one to the art of listening and of harmonizing one’s relationship with his neighbor through singing and prayer. The organ leads us to a more genuine relationship not only with God, but also with our neighbor. For this reason, we want to work together to contribute to the glory of God, to the renown of St. Vitus Cathedral and to the further evolution of the famous musical traditions of our nation.
Dominik Duka OP, Cardinal Archbishop of Prague
The idea of the building of a new organ never disappeared completely: it repeatedly re-emerged, only to be postponed to more favourable times as a result of adverse society-wide events of the war years and also due to the post-war conditions.
A new instrument may be regarded as a testimony to the capabilities, experience and knowledge of the present generation as well as acting as a legacy to future generations.
The organ building company of Gerhard Grenzing is one of the most experienced companies in this field: it has successfully completed 220 restoration and building projects across continents.
To this day, we’ve successfully raised: 78,836,673 CZK
Thank you!
The St. Vitus Organ Fund was established in accordance with Act No. 227/1997 Sb. by its registration into the fund registry administered by the Municipal Court in Prague, file ref. N 1123, on 19 March 2014.
The registration number of the fund is 02794471.
The bank account of the fund is 2109930876/2700.
Registered office: Hradčanské náměstí 56/16, 119 02 Prague 1 – Hradčany
Purpose of the fund: acquisition of a new representative organ for the St. Vitus Cathedral
Contact:
František Falta
Coordinator of the Organ for the Cathedral project
e-mail: Frantisek.Falta@apha.cz
phone: +420 733 164 063
Members of the Managing Board:
Members of the Supervisory Board:
Media inquiries:
Šimon Slavík
Project press agent
e-mail: slavik@bohemianheritage.cz
telefon: +420 734 335 438
Contact for others parties involved in the Organ for the Cathedral project:
Vojtěch Mátl
Vice-chairman of the Supervisory Board
e-mail: vojtech.matl@apha.cz
telefon: +420 737 215 326
Jakub Skřejpek
Bohemian Heritage Fund
e-mail: skrejpek@bohemianheritage.cz
The table below shows the placement of organ pipes in its five divisions. The individual divisions form complex parts of the organ which are fitted with their separate registers and operated by the organ player using a keyboard or pedals. The organ is going to have four manuals: the Ist manual is the Great division, the IInd manual controls the Positive, the IIIrd is connected to the registers of the Swell, the IVth manual belongs to the Solo division and the Vth is operated by the organ player using the pedal “keyboard”.
Each row in the individual organ division represents a single organ register.
A single register consists of a row of pipes of the same sound character ranked in the table from the largest, deepest sounding pipe – placed in the table entirely on the left – all the way to the smallest pipe which produces the highest tone – located in the table on the right.
The individual registers differ with their sound character, particularly by the strength and colour of the tone depending on the material, construction and diapason – i.e. several dozens of other parameters of the pipes of the given register. The number after the name of the register marks its position: this shows how high the pipes of the given register will sound. This height is traditionally given in feet. The higher the number, the lower the pipes of the given register will sound.
Every cell in the table represents one single pipe with the pipes divided into prices ranges according to their approximate size and demandingness when it comes to their production and sound distribution.
You can donate money and adopt a pipe in the following price ranges: 2,000 CZK, 5,000 CZK, 10,000 CZK, 15,000 CZK, 20,000 CZK and 30,000 CZK.
It is possible that during the work on the organ, the character of the sound – and therefore also the name – of a few of the registers will change in reaction to acoustic tests in the cathedral.
By clicking on a specific pipe that is shown in form of colourful dot, you’ll see its basic characteristic. By clicking on the button “Adopt a pipe” a form will open. After you fill it out, you will receive a confirmation e-mail with information about the payment.
Contact us at:
mojepistala@svatovitskevarhany.com
