Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

242 CENTRAL EASTERN EUROPE

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp288–91 and pp292–5

Church of St Nicholas w

Kostel sv Mikuláše

The Church of St Nicholas divides and dominates the

two sections of Little Quarter Square. Construction
began in 1703 and the last touches were put to the
glorious frescoed nave in 1761. It is recognized as the
masterpiece of father-and-son architects Christoph
and Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, Prague’s greatest
exponents of High Baroque, though neither lived
to see the church’s completion. The statues, frescoes
and paintings inside are by lead ing Baroque artists
and include the fine Passion Cycle (1673) by Karel
Škréta. Renovation in the 1950s dealt with the
damage caused by 200 years of leaky cladding.

Entrance

from the west

side of Little

Quarter Square

. Pulpit
Dating from 1765,
the ornate pulpit by
Richard and Peter
Prachner is lavishly
adorned with
golden cherubs.

Baroque Organ
A fresco of St Cecilia watches
over the superb organ, built
in 1746 by Tomás Schwarz.
There were originally three
Schwarz organs here.

Façade

St Paul, by John Frederick Kohl,

is one of the statues that grace the

curving façade. It was completed in

1710 by Christoph Dientzenhofer,

who was influenced by Italian

architects Borromini and Guarini.

Chapel of

St Catherine

Chapel of

St Anne

Altar Paintings

The side chapels hold

many works of art. This

painting of St Michael is

by Francesco Solimena.

STAR FEATURES

. Pulpit
. Dome Fresco
. Statues of the Eastern
Church Fathers