Praga Old Town City Guide: Saint Nicholas Church (Malá Strana) - Travel & Discover

With its ancient buildings and magnificent churches, this is one of the most beautiful historical sites in Europe. The most notable building on the Old Town Square is the beautiful St. Nicholas' Church, which was completed in 1735. It replaced a parish church mentioned in records, dating back as early as 1273. The radical Baroque of Bohemia is mainly characterized by expressiveness, plasticity, monumentality, dramatic effect and movement, and St. Nicholas' Church is one of the best examples of this style. The front is covered with sculptures by Antonin Braun. St. Nicholas' Church belonged to Lutherans in the 16th century, but then Protestantism was suppressed in Czech lands. The church became a Catholic sanctuary in 1620, and the black monks resided there. Inside a vast trompe-l'oeil fresco, gigantic sculptures, sparkling golden altarpieces, countless paintings, stucco or wooden decorative details, present one of the best examples of art synthesis in the Baroque era. The spectacular richness of the decor is mind-blowing. The interior composition draws the eye towards the grand altar and the lateral altars, and the best artists of the time contributed to the unique decoration of the church. Started by P. Bosz and continued by G. D. Orsi, the church is chiefly the work of the Dietzenhofer architects, who completely changed the initial projects and built this masterpiece, whose architectural significance is exceptional. Christoph Dietzenhofer took command of the construction work in 1702. His son then completed the nave and built the monumental dome and the magnificent façade. He played with architectural elements with convex and concave forms, thus creating exceptional undulating and dynamic effects. St. Nicholas' Church used to be a Protestant shrine. St. Nicholas' Church, with its robust dome and thin bell tower, is an inseparable part of the Prague Castle skyline. It's one of the most sought-after Prague churches. It's also one of the leading Baroque constructions in Europe and is usually defined as the most beautiful building of Czech Baroque.