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 exterior, and Baroque interior, St. Giles is open to the public from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm daily, the Church of St. Giles hosts both Czech-speaking and Polish-speaking communities, as well as offering services in, is an important venue for concerts, on its spectacular Baroque-Romantic period pipe organ dating from 1733, as well as other classical and spiritual musical concerts. Notable must-sees in St. Giles church of Old Town include the frame-style main altar retable and frame, and the pulpit which date from 1734- 1753, and were carved by the celebrated F. I. Weiss, who is also responsible for the Holy Cross Altar in the nave of the church, and the ornate carving on the organ box from 1733. Those interested in getting married in historic and illustrious surroundings in Prague will surely want to consider the beautiful church of St. Giles, which cooperates with various wedding agencies to organize weddings, and can perform weddings in Czech, Polish, French, or English. The adjacent Baroque Refectory Hall can be rented for special events, including wedding receptions, at reasonable rates, and also has a special offer for charitable events or non-profit organizations. Currently on display, is the celebrated exhibit Hic Sunt Domini Canes, a play on words from the Latin expression Hic Sunt Leones, or “here are lions” marking the unexplored places on ancient maps, and the Dominican's nickname “the hounds of the Lord”, is an informative and entertaining exhibit where you can not only learn the history of the site, but also become acquainted with major personages involved in Czech religious history, particularly the history of the Dominicans and the site of the St. Giles Church in Prague. You will also be able to learn more about the life of the Dominican friars who still live and work in the Monastery today, as well as enjoy an ongoing lecture series and last but not least, a children's program designed to educate kids not only about St. Giles itself, but also the surrounding area of Prague's Old Town. Movie buffs will enjoy the fact that St. Giles Church in Prague is the location of choice for Miloš Forman, who filmed Mozart´s wedding scene at St. Giles for his famous film Amadeus. For those who are interested in more contemporary artists, St. Zdislava's Chapel is situated on the left side of the nave under the choir, and the main mosaic of the chapel is from the painter and graphic artist Šerých (1991).
St. Giles offers Mass daily in Czech at 6:30 p.m. as well as Sundays at 9:30 a.m., in Polish on Sundays at Noon, and in Latin on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. Weddings or other special church services can be arranged in Czech, Polish, English, or French upon prior agreement, as well as confessions or other religious services.
Husova 234/8, Praha 1, +420 224 220 235, www.prague-church.com
