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
Děkujeme České televizi za její příspěvek o začátku stavby nových varhan na zrekonstruovaném kůru svatovítské katedrály. Stavět se začnou v březnu příštího roku, po 10 letech usilovných příprav. V současné době se ve Španělsku rozebírají a chystají na přepravu. Příspěvek přináší také zajímavosti o náročné rekonstrukci kůru a technologických postupech. „Bude se stavět celé jaro, až do léta, a dá-li Pán Bůh, vahrany uvidíme na konci školního roku," oznámil divákům Vojtěch Mátl, předseda správní rady Nadačního fondu Svatovítské varhany. Na sv. Víta, 15. 6. 2026, by měly být nové varhany požehnány, doplnila ČT. Televizní záznam je k dispozici zde: https://www.ceskatelevize.cz/porady/1097181328-udalosti/224411000101129/cast/1082398/
Symbolicky v době, kdy si připomínáme 680. výročí položení základního kamene katedrály sv. Víta českým králem Janem Lucemburským a pražským arcibiskupem Arnoštem z Pardubic, s potěšením sdělujeme informaci, že stavba nových varhan se konečně přiblížila k svému završení.
Během slavnostního aktu Celního úřadu pro hlavní město Prahu v Brožíkově síni Staroměstské radnice v Praze, jehož se účastnil Dominik kardinál Duka, byly včera zástupcům pražské celní správy předány symbolická miniatura varhanní píšťaly a certifikát potvrzující, že celní správa adoptovala jednu novou píšťalu svatovítských varhan v hodnotě 20 tisíc korun. Předseda správní rady Nadačního fondu Svatovítské varhany Mgr. Vojtěch Mátl přitom představil projekt obnovy svatovítských varhan a adopce píšťal.
Ve středu 13. 3. 2024 došlo k předání staveniště pro stavební úpravy západní kruchty pro svatovítské varhany. Díky tomu mohou započít přípravné stavební práce předcházející instalaci varhan.
Pro zobrazení fotografií a více informací rozklikněte aktualitu.
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 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.
The firm’s founder, Gerhard Grenzing, trained with organ builder Rudolf von Beckenrath in Hamburg and subsequently perfected his art by working in many European organ building workshops. Already by the age of 25, he began to devote himself to the restoration of historical instruments in Mallorca. At the age of 30, he settled in El Papiol, near Barcelona and established his own workshop where, besides restoration work, he also started building instruments. His company has grown over the years and since the year 2000, over 20 employees work in the firm’s new, spacious workshop. To date, 138 new organs have been built and over 90 restorations or reconstructions have been completed.
Gerhard Grenzing is the author of a series of articles about the organ builder Jordi Bosch, his works and his students. He has participated in many organ congresses, such as the “2èmes Journées Nationales de l’Orgue” in Toulouse in 1986, the “International Congress of Organists” in Cambridge in 1987 and the international congress of the Instituto de Históricos de Oaxaca (Mexico). He has also worked as an international organ consultant in Leuven (Belgium).
Two television documentaries and one film documentary have been made about Gerhard Grenzing and the organs he has constructed have been used in many recordings.
In 1991, Gerhard Grenzing was awarded the silver medal of the Spanish Ministry of Culture for his achievements in the field of music and the fine arts; in 2004 he received the title of Art Master of Catalonia. He is also a member of the Royal Academies of Seville and Barcelona, the Societat Catalana de Musicologia and the Consejo del Instituto de Órganos Históricos de Oaxaca (Mexico). He was the President of the International Society of Organ Builders (ISO) between the years 2006 and 2010. In 2006 the magazine “Organ” named him organ builder of the year.
The Alliance Francophone for the Kingdom of Spain named Gerhard Grenzing as a member of its honorary committee in 2007 and awarded him the order of “L’Eléphant d’Or”. He is also the holder of the order “Trophée Européen de L’Excellence”.
