Founded in 1070–1080 by the King Vratislaus II of Bohemia, the Romanesque basilica suffered a fire in the year 1249 and has been rebuilt in Gothic and later in neo-Gothic style.

The basilica features an impressive stone mosaic above its entry, and its twin 58 m towers can be seen atop a hill to the south from along the Vltava River in central Prague.

[1] Behind the church is located large park and Vyšehrad cemetery, the final resting place of many famous Czechs, including author Karel Čapek and composer Antonín Dvořák.

Structurally, the building is quite vertical, its ceiling is cross vaulted and the pointed arched windows let in the sun's light through stained glass.

On the gable face stand sculptures of the basilica's namesake saints Peter and Paul with angels and Jesus.

They have slender holes making the tops of the towers light and elegant reminiscent of the conic formation of the chestnut flowers one can find blooming in trees along the walkways in the Vyšehrad complex.

[2] Seemingly every inch of the walls, pillars and ceilings is covered with the ornate, flowing decoration of the painter František Urban and his wife Marie Urbanová-Zahradnická inspired by Alfons Mucha.

Even the brown wooden benches on the ground for the beholders of church services are ornately carved with oak leaves.