Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

PRAGUE 243

High Altar

A copper statue of St Nicholas

by Ignaz Platzer (1717–87)

surmounts the high altar.

Below it, the painting of

St Joseph is by Johann

Lukas Kracker.

. Statues of the Eastern
Church Fathers
The impressive statues of the
church fathers, which stand at
the four corners of the crossing,
are the work of Ignaz Platzer.

The dome was
completed by Kilian
Ignaz Dientzenhofer
in 1751, shortly
before his death.

The belfry, added

between 1751 and

1756, was the last

part to be built. Visi-

tors can climb up to

admire the view.

. Dome Fresco
Franz Palko’s superb fresco, The
Celebration of the Holy Trinity
(1752–3), fills the 70-m (230-ft)
high dome.

VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Malostranské náměstí. Map C3.

Tel 257 534 215. v 12, 20, 22

to Malostranské náměstí.

X Malostranská. # Mar–Oct:

9am–5pm daily; Nov–Feb: 9am–

4pm daily. & 8 ^ 5

Concerts http://www.psalterium.cz

THE DIENTZENHOFER FAMILY

Christoph Dientzenhofer (1655–1722) came

from a family of Bavarian master builders.

His son Kilian Ignaz (1689–1751) was born

in Prague and educated at the Jesuit

Clementinum. Together, they were

responsible for the greatest trea-

sures of Jesuit-influenced Prague

Baroque architecture. The

Church of St Nicholas, their last

work, was completed by Kilian’s

son-in-law, Anselmo Lurago. Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer