Church Saint Nicolas\'s Day de Malá Strana

the church Saint Nicolas's Day de Malá Strana , one of the most visited churches Prague, is located in the district of Malá Strana, in the west of the Vltava. Its cupola and its proud tower traditionally form part of the panorama of the Château of Prague.

She is regarded one of the best monuments Baroque S in Europe and as the prettiest building Baroque of all the Bohemia. She was built at the time of the rebuilding of the city, in second half of the XVIIe century, at the moment when the style Renaissance was replaced by the style Baroque appeared at the same time as the political changes according to the Bataille of the White Mountain in 1620, i.e. the recatholisation of the country and introduction of the absolute monarchical capacity.

History of construction

The church is in the natural center of Malá Strana, where the parish church was Saint Nicolas's Day, which was replaced with the Moyen-âge by a small Romance church surrounded by a market. Construction baroque of the complex of the Jesuits, including the cure and the parochial school, lasts of 1673 with 1752. Work is started by Master P. Bos, quickly replaced by Giovanni Domenico Orsi. The essential phase of construction begins after 1702 according to new plans, which are allotted to Kryštof Dientzenhofer. After its death, work is finished by his/her son Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer. Masses are celebrated in part of the church as of 1711, but the complex is finished only in 1771. This same year the tower and the bell-tower by Anselmo Lurago are finished.

Structure

The builders of the church Saint Nicolas strongly engaged in the evolution of the blazing Baroque architecture. During construction, all the elements characteristic of this style are used to reinforce the impression of monumentality and dramatism.

the Western frontage is made of a triple staircase, with ground floor, first stage and a monumental pediment of Roman type. The sight in plan is inserted, arisen there here, these curves and counter-curves give an impression of nervousness and movement. The frontage is decorated with ionic columns, a balcony, a decoration of stucco and statues. In the niche of the pediment is a statue of Saint Nicolas, work of the workshops of J.B.Kohl (before 1711).

the frontage mériodionale form the frontage of the nave and the cupola with a lantern. The frontage is finished by a square tower, a municipal belfry in fact. The cupola, high with almost 80 meters, is amongst other things decorated with statues of Ignác Platzer, dating from second half of the 17th century and R. Platzer (second half of the 19th century). The gallery around the lantern is decorated with a wrought iron grid.

the frontages septentrional and Eastern are less visible, the northern frontage being directed on the court of the House of profession and the frontage is being almost entirely hidden by the middle-class houses waitings.

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