St. Nicholas Church, Baroque church in Malá Strana, Czech Republic
St. Nicholas Church is a Baroque church on Malostranské Square in Malá Strana, Prague. Its white drum with pilasters and arched windows carries a ribbed pale-green dome crowned by a lantern, and beside it stands a square stone belfry with a clock, an open belfry stage and a green spire. The dome is as tall as the neighbouring belfry, which measures 79 m.
Construction began in 1673 under Christoph Dientzenhofer and was completed in 1755 after his son Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer and Anselmo Lurago continued the work. The Jesuits commissioned the project and oversaw the work across three generations of builders.
The interior bears the work of Italian artists whose frescoes depict biblical scenes and the life of Saint Nicholas. Today concerts with works by Mozart and other composers take place here, making use of the acoustics inside.
The church stands on the southeast side of Malostranské Square, its main west facade facing the square. The belfry is reached separately and gives a view over the rooftops of Malá Strana toward the castle. Organ and church music concerts are held daily from April to October.
The bell tower served as an observation post for the state police during the communist era, who monitored activities in nearby foreign embassies from here. The position offered a direct view onto several diplomatic missions in the quarter.
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