There are two churches dedicated to St. Nicholas in Prague – one in Old Town Square and the other in Malá Strana – and both of them were created by the same genius master: Kilián Ignaz Dientzenhofer.
Costruction of the magnificent Baroque building that we can see today was completed in 1737, however this site was first chronicled as the place of religious worship in as early as 1273. Originally St. Nicholas temple belonged to the Catholic Diocese, later to the Orthodox Church, but since 1920 it has been owned by the Czechoslovak Hussite Church.
St. Nicholas boasts some of the most remarkable church interiors in all Prague. It is said to have been inspired by the Paris chapel of St. Louis-des-Invalides and never fails to impress with its ceiling frescoes by Cosmas Damian Asam, delicate stucco decoration and interesting lighting effects. The crystal chandelier made in the Harrachov glassworks was once donated by the Russian Tsar Alexander II and is a reminder of the Orthodox era in St. Nicholas history.
