Churches.
You do not have to be a believer to appreciate the beauty of churches. Prague has numerous precious religious buildings which have stood the test of time and Communism.
One of them, for instance, is the St. Nicholas Church in Lesser Town. Its enormous green copula makes this church a landmark and its rich Baroque interior one of the finest Baroque buildings in Central Europe. Mozart himself tickled the organ’s ivories in the late 18th century and was honoured with a requiem mess after his death a few years later.
The Bethlehem Chapel in the Old Town was once preached in by Jan Hus from 1402 until 1412; in the 17th century it briefly became Catholic, today Protestant services are held in it as well as occasionally Saturday night classical concerts.
Built in 1344 the St. Vitus Cathedral is the oldest Gothic cathedral in Eastern Europe. At the same time it is the most important one in the country, as it is the seat of the archbishop of Prague. The Gothic archetype was notably built by architect Peter Parler who is said to have developed the special vaulting system evident in the cathedral’s structure; therein he might even have influenced the famous English Gothic. Although, it could also have been vice versa.
As you wander around Prague you will realize the accumulation of beautiful churches making it impossible to decide which ones are the most see-worthy.
Going through the former Jewish ghetto, Josefov, the Old-New-Synagogue is a must-see not only due to its intriguing name. Originally called the New or Great Shul, it got the attribute ‘old’ when newer synagogues were erected in the 16th century. The Old-New-Synagogue was completed in 1270 and was one of Prague’s oldest Gothic buildings. Also, it is the oldest active synagogue in Europe.
St. Nicholas Church
Malostranské nám. 1
Prague 1
Phone: 224 190 994
Link: St. Nicholas…
Bethlehem Chapel
Betlémské Námestí 255/4
Prague 1
Phone: 224 248 595
St. Vitus Cathedral
Metropolitní kapitula u sv. Víta
3.hradní nádvoří čp. 48
Phone: 257 531 622
Czech Link: St. Vitus Cathedral…
Old-New-Synagogue
Cervená 2
Josefov Prague
Phone: 222 317 191
Link: Old-New-Synagogue…