Old-Town St. Nicholas Churche, Prague

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This church shares the same name with the famous one near the castle area. Compared to that one, it's smaller in size but still it's still a very nice example of baroque architecture. The churh dates back to 1730. While you are visiting Old Town Square, it's worth to drop by in this pretty church.

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The 18th century white beautiful baroque church at the old town square is the St. Nicholas Church.

The interior of the church is similar to the Paris chapel of St. Louis des invalides.

I wonder though if it still serves as a church as I saw people queuing for a classical music concert inside the church?

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St. Nicholas has a long history starting from 12th century, when at the same side stood medieval church that was the most important in Prague old town till the construction of Church of Our Lady before Tyn.

The baroque form how it looks now was designed by Kilian Ignaz Dietzenhofer, in 1735. Church consists both of beautiful exterior and interior. Interior is created as a copy of famous St. Louis-des-invalides chapel in Paris. Now church serves masses for Hussites community.

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It's the most magnificent Baroque building in the city,built on the left bank, the plain west facade doesn't prepare you for the high baroque interior, which portrays some of st nicolas's feats along with his role as santa claus, he is also depicted here rescueing sailors id distress, saving women from prostitution by throwing them bags of gold, and repriving from death three unjustly condemed men. At the far end of the church is a dome which is very impressive due to its height and the four church fathers leering over you, one of whom brandishes a gilded thunder bolt, while another garrottes a devil with his crozier.

Costs 60 Kc's for the entrance fee.

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This masterpiece of Baroque architecture was built in the 1st half of the 18th century.

The ceiling paintings show the Lives of St Nicholas and St Benedict.

Today, classical concerts are performed here.

the church of st. nicholas is on the site of a 12th century church. it was old town's parish church until the our lady of before tyn was completed in the 14th century. after the battle of white mountain in 1620 the church became a benedictine monastery. the present church was built in 1735 by kilian ignaz dientzenhofer. in 1781 emperor joseph II closed all monasteries and the church was closed. during WWI the church was used by prague's military garrison. at the end of the war the building was given to the czech hussite church. the statues on the facade of st. nicholas were sculpted by antonin braun. one of the most beautiful and historic churches to visit when in prague.

Although quite high priced the classical concerts in the St. Nicholas Church is a nice break from the busy life as a tourist. One ticket is czk 490, which amounts to a little under eur 20.
Usually the concerts start at 20 p.m. and the program comprises of Mozarts, Beethoven, Händel and Vivaldi and the likes.

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The beautiful Church of St. Nicholas rises on the place where in the twelfth century there was the church of the Old Town was. The building that you can see today was built by Kilian Ignaz Dientzehofer in 1735 in a Baroque style. The façade is adorned by statues made by Antonin Braun. During the First World War the church was used by the garrison that stay in Prague but the colonel that commanded it decided to restore the church avoiding the front to many Czexh artists.