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Temperature: -12.2°C
Conditions: Partly Cloudy
Wind Speed: 2.1km/h
Wind Direction: North
CHURCH OF SAINT NICHOLAS PRAGUE
Malostranské náměstí, Praha 1 - Malá Strana, PRAHA
Malostranské náměstí, Praha 1 - Malá Strana, PRAHA
The Church of St Nicholas in the Lesser Quarter in Prague is the highlight of Jesuit architecture from the Baroque period. It was built in the location of an older Gothic church and its construction took nearly 60 years. The church was designed by the best Baroque architects of Prague – Kryštof Dientzenhofer and later on his son Kilián Ignác. The aim of the Jesuits was to demonstrate their power and to celebrate their victory over the Czech heretics.
The rich interior decoration is the work of Anselmo Lurago, who also designed the tower, which was built in 1755. The Lesser Quarter specified the condition that the tower would be the property of the town as opposed to the church. To bring home their point they had the town coat of arms placed above the entrance, which leads from the street.
The vaulting of the main nave of the St Nicholas church was decorated during 1760-1761 by Jan Lukáš Kracker with a ceiling fresco on the theme of the Celebration of St Nicholas. It measures 1 500 square metres and belongs amongst the largest in Europe. Beneath the dome of the church, which is decorated by a 75 square metre fresco by F.X. Balko, stand 4 statues of Church teachers by Ignác Platzer the elder. The same author also created the gilded statue of St Nicholas on the main altar. The pulpit with statues by Richard and Petr Prachner (1765), the altar painting depicting the Death of St. Francis Xaverius by F.X. Balko and a cycle of paintings by Karel Škréta all have great artistic value. The walls, pillars and arches are all covered with fake marble.
After the Jesuit order was abolished by Pope Kliment XIV in 1773, the Church of St Nicholas became the main parish church of the Lesser Quarter.
The rich interior decoration is the work of Anselmo Lurago, who also designed the tower, which was built in 1755. The Lesser Quarter specified the condition that the tower would be the property of the town as opposed to the church. To bring home their point they had the town coat of arms placed above the entrance, which leads from the street.
The vaulting of the main nave of the St Nicholas church was decorated during 1760-1761 by Jan Lukáš Kracker with a ceiling fresco on the theme of the Celebration of St Nicholas. It measures 1 500 square metres and belongs amongst the largest in Europe. Beneath the dome of the church, which is decorated by a 75 square metre fresco by F.X. Balko, stand 4 statues of Church teachers by Ignác Platzer the elder. The same author also created the gilded statue of St Nicholas on the main altar. The pulpit with statues by Richard and Petr Prachner (1765), the altar painting depicting the Death of St. Francis Xaverius by F.X. Balko and a cycle of paintings by Karel Škréta all have great artistic value. The walls, pillars and arches are all covered with fake marble.
After the Jesuit order was abolished by Pope Kliment XIV in 1773, the Church of St Nicholas became the main parish church of the Lesser Quarter.
Feb
10
Current Conditions : -12.2C, Partly Cloudy 5:15AM CET
Temperature: -12.2°C
Conditions: Partly Cloudy
Wind Speed: 2.1km/h
Wind Direction: North
Temperature: -12.2°C
Conditions: Partly Cloudy
Wind Speed: 2.1km/h
Wind Direction: North
