A Hidden Gem for Prague Sightseeing! I Highly Recommend St. Nicholas Church!

[Czech Republic/Prague Travelogue] St. Nicholas Church in Malá Strana - A hidden gem for strolling through Prague! Statues that exude an overwhelming presence

In this article, I will introduce St. Nicholas Church, a hidden gem for sightseeing in Prague that only those in the know are aware of.

For some reason, it appears as St. Nicholas Church on Google Maps, but the name St. Nicholas Church (St. Mikuláš) is correct.

Since there is another St. Nicholas Church in Prague's Old Town, it is customary to call this one the St. Nicholas Church in Malá Strana to distinguish between them.

This church is located less than a 10-minute walk from Charles Bridge, and its tall, blue-green roof is very prominent.

I think the photos convey that it is quite a large church.

Nevertheless, it seems to be a place that tourists rarely visit.

And there is no wait time to buy admission tickets. I was able to enter the church smoothly.

What kind of church could it be...?

I felt a little uneasy, but the moment I stepped into the sanctuary, I was completely blown away.

Oh... this is magnificent...!

Because I hadn't expected much, I was even more enveloped in surprise and emotion.

This surprise and emotion rivals that which I felt when I saw the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

Let's get a little closer.

While the beauty of the columns and the main altar is remarkable, I was drawn in by the four huge statues surrounding the altar.

It is certain that they are probably not from that ancient a period.

However, I was instantly captivated by their sense of dynamism, as if they were about to move at any moment, and their beautiful posing, which seemed to capture an exquisite moment in time.

And besides these four, there are many other huge statues inside the sanctuary.

When you look up from below, your eyes meet theirs.

Huge statues that must be nearly 3 meters tall.

And the texture of the statues is truly magnificent.

Along with the strength of the saints, the smooth movement of their garments also evokes a sense of grace.

The intensity of these massive statues, which loom so close, reminds me of the Buddhist statues in the Hokke-do Hall of Todai-ji Temple.

I have a memory of seeing this pose somewhere before on a Buddhist statue in a temple.

It makes me feel that beautiful poses are universal across time and place.

Now, about this St. Nicholas Church. It was originally built in the 13th century and renovated in the late 17th century to its current form.

Those with a sharp intuition may have already noticed.

Yes. This church was also one that was overwritten by the Catholics following the end of the Thirty Years' War between Catholics and Protestants.

In other words, it seems this place was not originally a church with the luxurious decorations it has today.

This church architecture is a Catholic overwrite. Conversely, this means that the Catholic message and its characteristics are clearly displayed.

By observing this church carefully, one can learn about the doctrines of the Catholic Church.

In my previous article“The Magic of Light in the Stained Glass of St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle!” I talked about how you can understand the message of the church at that time through the differences in church architecture.

While walking around Prague this time, I found three churches that were perfect subjects for this.

The first is the Romanesque-style St. George's Basilica.

The second is the Gothic-style St. Vitus Cathedral.

And the last is this Baroque-style St. Nicholas Church.

The eras progress just like this: Romanesque to Gothic to Baroque.

Gothic... Baroque...

I can hear people saying, 'I've heard those words before, but I don't understand art! No way! I don't want to hear about it!'

I feel like I can hear voices like that.

But please, rest assured.

I was the same way.

I didn't understand art at all. Let alone have any interest in it.

But even if you don't understand the beauty of art, if you learn why it was created and why it became so popular, your perspective will change completely.

Ever since I learned that, visiting churches has become so much fun for me.

What is beautiful, and what is artistically wonderful? If you dig into that, it's a very difficult question.

However, if you think about why this church is built the way it is, you can observe the church like solving a mystery.

When you do that, you can make all sorts of discoveries, which is truly fun.

And as an extension of that, you can just find the things you like and the things you find beautiful.

You don't need anything complicated. You don't have to force yourself to rely on logic. That's something for people who love that sort of thing to do.

I'm sure it's the same when visiting temples. That's where it all starts.

In the next article, I will talk about the differences in those church styles.

In any case, this St. Nicholas Church.

It has become my favorite church in Prague.

No, I could even say it has become one of my favorite churches from this entire trip.

It was that wonderful of a church.

There are few tourists, so you can spend your time there in a relaxed and calm atmosphere.

I highly recommend visiting this place when you come to Prague.

Continued

*Main reference materials for this article are as follows:
Shinkyo Shuppansha, Justo González"History of Christianity"
Gendaishokan, Hideto Satsuma"Heretics of Prague: The Reformation as Seen in the Hussites of Medieval Bohemia"
Kodansha Hiroshi Emura"The Habsburgs"
Kawade Shobo Shinsha, Hiroshi Emura"Charles V: The Glorious Days of the Habsburgs"
Heibonsha Masumi Ishinabe"Rome of the Popes"

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