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The Church of St Nicholas was originally a Gothic building
The Church of St Nicholas was originally a Gothic building and served as the parish church of the Old Town before the Týn Church was built. Following the Battle of the White Mountain in 1620, and during the Counter-Reformation in the Czech lands,the church was taken over by Benedictine monks. In 1732 – 1735 it was then rebuilt in the baroque style by Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer.
All about Church of St. Nicholas more read here
The entrance to the church faced the Jewish Town and so did not have to be particularly decorative. The side of the church faces the Old Town Hall. For this reason the side of the building is richly decorated, creating the impression that this is the main entrance. The decoration on the side was designed to be looked at from close up, evident from the way the statues (created by Antonín Braun) are leaning over. The interior of the church is ful of intricate stucco work by Bernardo Spinetti. Petr Assamo painted the pictures which adorn the dome, the presbytery and the side chapels. These paintings show scenes from the life of St Nicholas and St Benedict. It is hard not to notice the huge crown-shaped chandelier, a gift from Tsar Nicholas II. In 1787 as part of Emperor Josef II’s religious reforms, almost all the monasteries and many churches that did not provide a service for the community, were closed. The Church St Nicholas was not spared and after closure was used by the military. During a later war, the then commander of the Prague garrison had the decoration in the church restored by artsist who otherwise would have been sent to the front. After the creation of Pařížská Street the eastern corner of the church was completed and in 1906 a recess holding a statue of St Nicholas and a neo-classical fountain with dolphins were added. After World War I the church was once again used for its original purpose by the Hussite Church.
The building joined on to the church on Kafkovo Square stands on the site of the former Benedictine Monastery. The house bears a plaque reminding us that this is the birthplace of the famous Czech author (who of course wrote in German), Franz Kafka.
FRANZ KAFKA( 1883 – 1924) Franz Kafka is one of the most widely known and celebrated writers of the 20th century. He is known above all for his novels The Trial, America and The Castle.
Kafka came from a Jewish family and grew up at a time when ethnic conflicts began to escalate in Prague, a fact evident in his work.
As mentioned earlier, Kafka was born in a former Benedictine Monastery next to the Church of St Nicholas and spent most of his life in the Old Town. Kafka’s family lived, for instance, in the House U minuty, part of the Old Town Hall and in Celetná Street. The young Kafka also attended the German Grammar School in the Kinský Palace.
Over the course of his life in Prague, Kafka became acquainted with the elite of the Prague literary world such as Franz Werfel, Max Brod and the Kirsch brothers. In 1915 he won his first literary prize for a short story called The Stoker. In 1916 – 17 he worked in the Golden Lane at Prague Castle, but had already been diagnosed as having tuberculosis. At the end of his life Kafka left Prague and died of tuberculosis in 1924 in Kierling near Vienna.
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Photo Gallery:
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Contact:
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Address:
Staroměstské náměstí (Old Town Square)
Praha 1 – Staré Město (Prague 1 – Old Town)
Contacts:
Phone: + 420 224 190 991 – 4
Mail-to: mikulas@ccsh.cz
Websites: http://www.husiti.cz/ccshpd/obce_seznam.htm , http://www.svmikulas.cz
Opening hours:
Mon – Sun: 10.00 am – 4.00 pm and during services
Entrance fees: no
Barrier-free access: no
GPS: 50.08797,14.419936
Connection:
Tram: 17, 18, 53 Staroměstská (then follow the street Kaprova)
Bus: 133 Staroměstská (then follow the street Kaprova)
Metro: A – Staroměstská (then follow the street Kaprova)
Search for connections: click here
Information on Prague transport: click here
Information on Prague public transport: click here
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Map:
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DOWNLOAD: Tourist Guide in the Area
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Tourist guide PRAGUE CITY LINE - Prague 1 (7,0 MiB, 18 143 hits)
Prague 1 still belongs to one of the most attractive parts of the whole Prague. Probably nowhere else you can find such a concentration of historic monuments and places where the history and romance of bygone times are all around you. Hardly anywhere you can walk on the same paths where were walking Franz Kafka, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the Golem of Prague.
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All about: Prague Gardens and Parks more read here
PRAGUECITYLINE Prague 1
Discover the most beautiful sights of Prague. Review the educational route PRAGUECITYLINE Prague 1. All sights are described with lots of pictures.Click here
Traditional Royal Route
Take the traditional route of Czech kings. Discover the most interesting sights of Prague. Everything is described in articles and accompanied by lots of photos. Click here to get on the page of the Royal Route.
Prague Candy Festival 2017
The sweetest festival of the year in hotel Pyramida! All the sweets lovers are meeting at 8th April 2017 from 12 till 19 pm at hotel Pyramida where the second year of Prague candy festival is held.
ONE-HOUR RIVER CRUISE
A cruise is truly one of the most delightful ways to see the beauties on offer in the historical centre of Prague. During the cruise you will get unforgettable views from the deck, refreshing drinks and a fascinating commented tour.
Old Town Square
Come with us and explore the real heart of Prague. Do you know the secret of the Old Town Astronomical Clock? Do you know where to find the Prague Meridian and the meaning of the crosses on the paving stones? Click here and explore the Old Town Square on your own!
Enjoy a beautiful view of Prague!
The roof terrace restaurant Coda is open to all lovers of great gastronomy and unique views of the city. The terrace offers a 360° view of the entire Prague and looking at all the treasures of the Golden City.
Enjoy a sights and life in Prague - Download FREE Guides !
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