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St. Nicholas Church from Karmelitská
St. Nicholas Church from Karmelitská

From the Infant of Prague and the Church of Our Lady Victorious, we continued up the street (named Karmelitská, undoubtedly after the Carmelite caretakers of the church and the Infant) toward the big green dome of our next destination, the Church of St. Nicholas. There are actually three churches in Prague devoted to St. Nicholas (yes, the 3rd-4th Century saint who eventually evolved into Santa Claus), which can be confusing. One is an understated church in an area of Prague known as Vršovice, which is well outside the city's historical center, and was not what we were looking for. There is a second St. Nicholas Church in Old Town Square, which we would be visiting at a later time (stay tuned). The St. Nicholas Church we were headed toward is the main parish church of Prague's Little Quarter, or Malá Strana, and is the opposite of understated, as you will see.

The present St. Nicholas Church was mostly built in the 18th Century, after a decision was made in the late 17th Century to rebuild a previous Gothic parish church (also devoted to St. Nicholas) which had occupied the site since 1283.

Gothic St. Nicholas Church, 1606
Gothic St. Nicholas Church, 1606

The Jesuits (who by this time were running the church as part of a Jesuit college) approved a design by an Italian named Giovanni Domenico Orsi in 1673. Building and interior decorating took about 100 years, passing through three generations of architects from a family called Dientzenhofer. Work was completed just in time for the Jesuit order to be abolished by Pope Clement XIV, which happened in 1773. The church again became just a parish church in 1775, and it retains this status up to the present day.
St. Nicholas Church, 1868
St. Nicholas Church, 1868

Karmelitská led directly toward the church's dome and lone bell tower (both 259 feet tall), which are at the end of the church opposite the entrance. We turned left at Malostranské Náměstí to get to where the entrance was. In front of the church was a small square, mostly full of parked cars. In the middle of the square there was a monument known as the Column of the Holy Trinity. It was built in 1715 to give thanks for the end of a 1713 plague. It's 66 feet tall and is made of sandstone. It's populated by figures of the Virgin Mary and saints and angels.
Holy Trinity Column and St. Nicholas Church
Holy Trinity Column and St. Nicholas Church

Bob and Column of the Holy Trinity
Bob and Column of the Holy Trinity
Column of the Holy Trinity
Column of the Holy Trinity (1715)

We made our way back through the parked cars (some familiar makes, some less so) to the front of the church. The façade, completed in 1710, is fashionably baroque, and is covered with several figures of saints, with St. Nicholas occupying the place of honor, at top center.
Skoda Superb Sedan
Skoda Superb Sedan
St. Nicholas Church
St. Nicholas Church

But when it comes to baroque, there isn't much that can compare to the inside of this church. We climbed a short stairway to the entrance, paid the small admission fee, and were hit in the face with baroqueness.
Inside the Church
Inside the Church
Inside the Church
Inside the Church

Inside the Church
Inside the Church

The St. Nicholas Church is sometimes called "the most impressive example of Prague Baroque", and this is easy to believe. With ornamentation found in every corner, it's hard to know where to begin, but we decided to start with the main altar in the front. The altarpiece is covered with several gilded figures, but again the top center is home to a figure of St. Nicholas.
Main Altar
Main Altar
Main Altar
Main Altar

Directly above the area in front of the main altar is the church's dome. The dome is 65 feet across and is covered with a fresco by František Xaver Palko, called The Celebration of the Holy Trinity.
The Dome
The Dome

The Dome
The Dome
Statue of Justice
Statue of Justice

The ceiling above the nave has a fresco of its own, this one called The Apotheosis of St. Nicholas, done by Johann Lukas Kracker in 1760.
The Apotheosis of St. Nicholas
Ceiling - The Apotheosis of St. Nicholas
Ceiling Detail
Ceiling Detail

The ridiculously elaborate pulpit was completed by Richard and Peter Prachner around 1765.
Pulpit and Side Chapels
Pulpit and Side Chapels
Pulpit, Richard and Peter Prachner
Pulpit, Richard and Peter Prachner

Pulpit Detail
Pulpit Detail
Pulpit and Main Altar
Pulpit and Main Altar

To the left of the main altar there is a door leading to a stairway. The stairway goes up to a balcony, from which you can get a somewhat different angle on things.
Church from Balcony
Church from Balcony
Apse from Balcony
Apse from Balcony

The balcony is at the same level as the church's main organ. The organ is currently awaiting renovation and is not played (there are secondary organs), but in 1787 it was played by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who was staying in Prague at the time.
Organ
Organ
Organ Loft
Organ Loft

Back at ground level, the church has several side chapels. The St. Barbara chapel, to the left of the main altar, was built before the rest of the church, and was the site of its first masses.
The Celebration of St. Barbara
The Celebration of St. Barbara, Ludvík Kohl
Ceiling, St. Barbara Chapel
Ceiling, St. Barbara Chapel

The Visitation of the Virgin Mary
The Visitation of the Virgin Mary, Jan L. Kracker
Visitation Altar Detail
Visitation Altar Detail

St. Alois with the Children
St. Alois with the Children Worshiping the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Ignatius Raab

The Vision of St. Ignatius of Loyola
The Vision of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Ignatius Raab
Ceiling, St. Ignatius Chapel
Ceiling, St. Ignatius Chapel

The Archangel Michael
The Archangel Michael Defeating the Devil, Francesco Solimena
Ceiling, Archangel Michael Chapel
Ceiling, Archangel Michael Chapel

The Death of St. Joseph
The Death of St. Joseph, Jan L. Kracker
Altarpiece, St. Joseph Chapel
Altarpiece, St. Joseph Chapel

Attached to columns located around the church are statues of saints. The statues are sculpted from marble, but the columns are not, despite their appearance. They are artificial marble, fashioned from stucco.
St. Basil
St. Basil
St. Cyril Alexander
St. Cyril Alexander

Helmeted Figure with Palm Branch
Helmeted Figure with Palm Branch

St. John Chrysostom
St. John Chrysostom
Statue Holding Manacles and Book
Statue Holding Manacles and Book

At this point you might be thinking that we'd had enough churches for one day. But we were just getting started. Continue to the next page for a look at Prague's St. Vitus Cathedral.