Church of St. Nicholas in the Lesser Town

The Church of St. Nicholas is built in the natural center of the Lesser Town, where the parish church of St. Nicholas stood as early as 1283 and in the Middle Ages there was a marketplace with a Romanesque church of St. Wenceslas. The Baroque construction of the entire Jesuit complex, including the parish building and the school, lasted from 1673 to 1752. The decisive phase of the construction began after 1702 and its authorship is attributed to Kryštof Dienzehofer. After his death, the construction was completed by his son Kilián Ignác Dienzehofer, who designed a unique solution for the vault and a massive dome, which became one of the main landmarks of Prague. This change significantly influenced not only the appearance of the church, but also the face of the entire left-bank part of Prague. The first services could begin to be held in a part of the church as early as 1711. In 1713 and 1715, both chapels at the entrance to the church were completed – the Chapel of St. Barbara. Barbara to the left of the entrance and the opposite chapel of St. Anne. The construction was completed in 1752. In the same year, the tower with the bell tower was also completed. The church is often referred to as the most beautiful building of the Czech Baroque.