Churches, Cathedrals and Pilgrimage Sites
Prague Lifestyle > Czech Republic Attractions > Churches, Cathedrals and Pilgrimage Sites
The Czech Republic is full of religious sites. Visit any small village and you will probably find a castle or a chateau, but you will most definitely find an ancient church or place of worship. The capital city of Prague boasts grand cathedrals, various pilgrimage sites, a few synagogues, small chapels and more.
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Sedlec Ossuary
Located a short train ride away from Prague is the Sedlec Ossuary. In the Sedlec suburb of Kutna Hora you will find the Sedlec Ossuary, which from the exterior looks like a normal chapel in a village, however, the interior decorations are anything but normal. It is estimated that the Roman Catholic chapel houses from 40,000-70,000 skeletons, victims from the Black...
The Loreta
The Baroque Loreta in Prague was commisioned by Baroness Beligna Katherina von Lobkowicz in 1626 and was maintained by the Capuchins, an order connected with St. Francis of Assisi and his brotherhood. This gorgeous gem has been the site of numerous pilgrimages over the past centuries, and it is easy to understand why. The building was built to promote the legend of Santa Casa, or the house of the Virgin Mary, a copy decorated with...
Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord
This strange train station like church was built in 1932 and is one of the most unique structures in the city of Prague. Unlike the majority of churches in Prague, this one, although built in 1932, is modern in comparison with the hundred plus year old churches in Prague. The Slovenian architect Joze Plecnik was also responsible for some innovative additions to Prague Castle. The strange brick church on complete review
St. Ludmila
Overlooking Peace Square, this imposing neo Gothic church, built from 1888 to 1893, is gorgeous with its massive twin towers pointed towards the heavens. The exterior of this neo Gothic church is impressive, but the interior is simply stunning, with its multi colored walls painted with bright reds, vivid teals and lovely golden decorations. The interior bears a colorful resemblance to the great basilica of St. Mary in Krakow, Poland....
Old-New Synagogue
The oldest of Prague's Jewish Quarter sights, the Old-New Synagogue is the oldest surviving Synagogue in all of Europe, and is surrounded by history, mysteries and legends; its attic is purported to be the home of Prague's Golem,...
The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul
Perched imposingly atop the mystical Vysehrad fortress and impressively dominating the area is the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, a recognized landmark with its slender neo Gothic double spires. Construction of the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul started in the 11th century for the Czech nobility, the church was originally Romanesque. The beloved Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV had the structure rebuilt in the Gothic style in the...
Emmaus Monastery
If the two twin spires rising in front of this Gothic structure seem strange, recall that they were added in the 1960s after a British and American firebomb destroyed a section of the building in 1945. The monastery dates back to 1372, when Charles IV requested a Slavonic Benedictine order in Prague, centuries of peace followed. During WWII the Gestapo captured the monastery and sent the monks to the Dachau concentration camp. After...
Jubilee Synagogue
The youngest, dating from 1906, largest and most vibrant synagogue in Prague is the Jubilee Synagogue. Designed by Wilhelm Stiassny, and named in honor of the 50th anniversary celebration, or the silver jubilee, of the reign of Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria, the Jubilee Synagogue is a colorful mixture of Moorish revival design and Art Nouveau decor. The facade features ornate keyhole arches, a rose window, lovely Iberian red and...
The Church of Virgin Mary's Immaculate Conception and St. Ignatus in Klatovy
Klatovy is a medium-sized Czech town with 22 thousand inhabitants located in the south western Czech Republic in the wonderful area of the Sumava Mountains, a natural peaceful escape for many Czechs as well as foreign visitors who want a rest from big city life. The former Jesuit Church of Virgin Mary's Immaculate Conception and St. Ignatus is located in the center of Klatovy in the southwestern part of the main square and it is a...
Church of Our Lady of the Snows
The Gothic Church of Our Lady of the Snows, founded in 1397, is one of the grandest sights to behold in New Town. Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV planned for the Church to be the grandest and tallest in Prague, taller than St. Vitus even. You may notice when you enter that the proportions of the structure seem a bit off, it is higher than it is longer, as the plans of Charles IV were not exactly realized, if they had been, the size...
Strahov Monastery
Perched high above the city of a thousand spires is the second oldest monastery in Prague, the Strahov Monastery, which dates back to the 12th century. A dominant gateway showcases the entrance to the monastery, which is made up of several buildings with the Church of Assumption of our Lady and the Church of St. Roch. The peaceful atmosphere makes Strahov Monastery the perfect place for an afternoon wander or a nap under an ancient...
St. Vitus
The Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV commissioned the construction and design of St. Vitus to Frenchman Matthias of Arras in 1344 and after the passing of Matthias to Peter Parler in 1356. Matthias of Arras drew inspiration from French cathedrals, while Peter Parler wished to build a structure unlike any other he has witnessed. St. Vitus is a grand example of Gothic architecture in the city of Prague and yet another testimonial to the...
The Church of Our Lady of Victory
The Church of Our Lady of Victory is the famous pilgrimage site of the Infant Jesus of Prague, and one of the oldest Baroque buildings in Prague, built for German Lutherans in 1613 probably by Giovanni Maria Filippi the court builder of the Emperor Rudolf II, and originally named the Church of the Holy Trinity. The Catholic order of Discalced...
Church of St. James the Greater
The Church of St. James the Greater (also Senior) and Minorite monastery are located opposite to the Ungelt entrance on Malá Štupartská Street in Prague's picturesque Old Town. Besides regular services the church, one of the five Prague minor basilicas, regularly hosts organ concerts. The Church of St. James the Greater was founded in 1232 by King Wenceslas I. In 1319, King John of Bohemia started the construction of a long basilica...
St. Nicolas Cathedral
The giant green dome looming over Lesser Town Square belongs to the wondrous St. Nicolas, one of the finest examples of High Baroque architecture in Central Europe, this massive imposing dome and the Catholic church have continued to look over and protect the Lesser Town for centuries. Built by Christoph Dientzenhofer and his son Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer...
Spanish Synagogue
The Spanish Synagogue is by far the most spectacular temple in the Jewish Quarter. It was inspired by the Alhambra in Spain, hence the title Spanish Synagogue. The Synagogue is stunning with an abundance of Moorish tile motifs of flowers and geometric patterns in brilliant reds, blues and greens with gold trim. The interior boasts color on the ceiling, walls, and stained glass windows.
Bethlehem Chapel
Bethlehem chapel was completed in 1394 and was the venue where Jan Hus, distinguished writer, thinker and philosopher, preached from 1402 to 1412 before he was burned at the stake in 1415; thus making Bethlehem Chapel the birthplace of the Hussite cause. In the 18th century the chapel was demolished. The ruins of the chapel were discovered in 1920, and It was rebuilt exactly the same (based on drawings, old documents, etc.) in the...
St. Tomáš in Malá Strana
First dedicated in 1228, the Catholic church of Saint Tomáš, located in picturesque and timeless Malá Strana, has a long and illustrious history in the Czech Republic. Co-Consecrated as the Augustinian church of St. Tomáš and St. Augustine on May 2nd, 1316,...
The Church of St. Giles
Popular among locals and foreigners, consecrated May 4th, 1371, replacing an earlier church from 1238, the Dominican Monastery and Roman Catholic Church of St. Giles is located in the heart of Prague's Old Town, and certainly plays its part, culturally speaking. Boasting a Gothic...
The Church of our Lady before Tyn
This Gothic church from the mid 14th century is perhaps the second signature landmark in Old Town Square (after the Astronomical Clock). It was the main church during the time of the Hussites. The interior of the church, especially the altar, is one of the most elaborate ones in the Czech Republic; its centerpiece is the portrayal of the rise of Virgin Mary...
The Basilica of St. George
The Basilica of St. George is the finest example of Romanesque architecture remaining in the great city of Prague. The basilica was partially damaged by fire in 1142 and the main apse and twin steeples were added after. Although the facade of the basilica was renovated in the 17th century in the Baroque style, elements of the Romanesque still exist in the interior as well, results of a meticulous restoration between 1887 and 1908....
St. Joseph Church in Mala Strana
Built at the behest of Carmelite sisters and completed in 1692, surprisingly not much is known about this mysterious little church situated a stone's throw from the Charles Bridge in charming Mala Strana, or Lesser Town. Experts are unable to agree on the architect responsible for this little gem, which is rather unusual in Prague where many famous...
Cathedral of St. Lawrence on Petřín Hill
The principle church of the Old Catholic faith in the Czech Republic, the Cathedral of Saint Lawrence, called Sv. Vavřinec in Czech, is located on leafy green Petřín Hill, next to Petřín Lookout Tower and the Hunger Wall. Originally built in a Romanesque style, it was rebuilt later in...
St. Michael's Church in the Kinský Gardens
This small wooden jewel was physically relocated to Prague in 1929, to celebrate the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the annexation of Carpathian Ruthenia (the Subcarpathian region) into then-Czechoslovakia after WWI. Also known by its longer name of The Carpathian Church of St. Michael the Archangel, the entirely-wooden...
Svatá Dobrotivá Church and Monastery
Founded in 1262 by Lord Oldřich Zajíc of Valdek, the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary Monastery with its church dedicated to St. Benigna, called Svatá Dobrotivá in Czech, was the first Augustinian monastery in Bohemia, and marked the arrival of Augustinians in what is now the Czech Republic. The church is dedicated to, and bears the name of, Svatá Dobrotivá due to the fact that...
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