Church of Saint Roch, Baroque church in Žižkov, Prague, Czech Republic
The Church of Saint Roch is a Baroque central building on an elliptical plan, roofed by a dome with a small lantern, probably designed by Jean-Baptiste Mathey and built by Jan Hainric in 1680–1682. Its interior has pilasters and arcades carrying a balustraded gallery, and the main altar (Antonín Baum, 1879) frames Ignác Raab's painting of Saints Roch, Sebastian and Rosalia.
Construction began in 1680 during a plague epidemic, when the Old Town Council required new burial grounds outside Prague city walls. The building stands on land originally designated for this purpose and represents the city's response to needs during this crisis.
The church is dedicated to Saint Roch, Sebastian and Rosalia, plague patrons whose figures appear in Ignác Raab's altarpiece of 1754, flanking the Virgin Mary. The name of the surrounding Olšany district comes from the alder trees (olše) that once grew here.
The church sits on Olsany Square in green open spaces after removal of former cemetery walls and a rectory. The square is easily accessible on foot and offers plenty of room to walk around and explore the surroundings.
The oldest surviving object linked to the church is a Baroque tin baptismal font from 1595 by tinsmith Matouš Voříšek of Roudnice nad Labem, now held in the collections of the City of Prague Museum, not inside the church. The church's portal bears the inscription S.P.Q.A.V.P. Ex Voto A. MDCLXXX, recording that the Old Town council and community erected it in 1680.
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