In 1758, construction of the Chapel of the Holy Cross began based on a design by Nicolo Pacassi. It lasted almost 5 years. The architect was Anselmo Lurago, who not only erected many buildings in Prague, but also often "brought them to completion."
However, the Chapel of the Holy Cross looks different now, because in 1852-1856 it was rebuilt in the classical style, which better matched the spirit of the times. It is now a rectangular building with rounded sides and a pointed roof.
The facade of the chapel is decorated with niches containing statues of Saint Peter and Saint Paul; inside, 19th-century wall paintings depicting scenes from the New and Old Testaments have been preserved. On the marble altar stand statues of angels and a large icon, "Crucifixion," painted by Frantisek Xaver Balka. On the sides also hang his icons depicting Saint Vitus, Saint Wenceslas, Saint Teresa, and Saint Francis.
In 1961-1990, a unique exhibition of the St. Vitus treasure was housed inside the chapel - more than 400 extremely rare valuables, including armor, hierarchs' vestments, church utensils, and saints' relics. Because of such valuable contents, the chapel came to be called the Treasury. And now it houses a tourist information center, as well as the administration of Prague Castle.
