The Church of St Nicholas dominates Lesser Town Square (Malostranské náměstí)

Nový obrázek

The Church of St Nicholas dominates Malostranské Square. The church is one of the most exquisite baroque buildings anywhere in Europe and is built on the grand principle of interlocking ellipsoids.

Building work was begun on the church in 1703 on the site of an earlier Gothic church dedicated to the same saint. The order behind the building of a new place of worship was the Jesuits, who acquired the site through one of the most influential men in the country, Albrecht von Wallenstein. It was such an important building project that Emperor Leopold I himself came to lay the first stone.

In the first phase of construction Kryštof Dientzenhofer demonstrated his remarkable skills as a builder. He is responsible for the nave and the side chapels. The dynamic 40m-high twisting wavy façade and huge interior were the first architectural experiment of its kind on a baroque building in Europe.

Kryštof’s son Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer, who took over the project when his father died, built the presbytery with its huge dome. After him, Anselmo Lurago added the slender spire in 1751-56.

One enters the church via an entrance, above which the Kolowrat coat of arms tells allcomers that they were significant benefactors when the church was being built. The vast ceiling fresco in the nave called The Glory of St Nicholas is by Jan Lukáš Kracker, and at 1500m2 is one of the largest in Europe.

It said about the fresco, that when the painter was working on it, he didn’t want anybody watching him. He only wanted the work to be seen when it was finished. But one of the Jesuit monks was so curious that would hide behind one of the church’s pillars to watch. However, the painter caught sight of him, and as a punishment he included him in in the fresco as a figure hinding behind a pillar watching everything. When the painter was finished and everyone was let in to admire the work, they couldn’t stop laughing when they recognised their collegue on the ceiling!

The fresco on the dome is the work of František Xaver Palko and depicts the Glory of the Holy Trinity. Palko was the most celebrated artist of his time with the possible exception of V. V. Reiner. The dome is 70m high and the spire next to it reaches 79m into the Prague skyline.

The nave is adorned with numerous late baroque sculptures, mainly by Ignác František Platzer. Probably the most noteworthy works of art in the entire church are paintings by Karel Škréta –The Crucifixion from the mid 17th century in the Chapel of St Barbora and the Passion Cycle in the church gallery.

In 1773, after the abolition of the Jesuit Order, the Church of St Nicholas became the main parish church of the Malá Strana.

Contact:

Church of St Nicholas
Malostranské námestí
Praha 1 – Malá Strana
Phone: 257 534 215
Fax: 257 534 215
E-mail: info@psalterium.cz
Web: http://www.psalterium.cz

Opening hours:

March – October / 9 – 17 / daily
November – February / 9 – 16 / daily

Admission:

Barrier-Free Entry: no

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Photo Gallery:


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