The Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Mary Magdalene is located in the very heart of the Karlovy Vary spa area, in the close proximity of the Hot Spring. The church bears the hallmarks of the High Baroque architecture and it is one of the most important Baroque monuments not only in Karlovy Vary, but in the entire Czech Republic. It was built in 1737 on the site of the former Gothic church.
Its interior is decorated with a precious altarpiece, Baroque Eucharist sculptures, Gothic Madonna and other decorations. The church can be viewed during worships, which the church of St. Mary Magdalene conducts every day.
The underground crypt in the cathedral contains a unique funeral chapel, which accommodates the skeletal remains from the former cemetery which surrounded the church until the year 1784. Guided tours to the crypt are available.
References:Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.
Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.
There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.