St Nicholas Church

St Nicholas Church in Prague was a Jesuit church built between 1673 and 1755 to replace the parish of St Nicholas, which had existed since the 13th century. It's in Malá Strana and is widely recognized as one of Central Europe's most beautiful Baroque structures. The architecture of St Nicholas Church, which was built during a period of significant social upheaval, including the re-establishment of Catholicism, reflected and contributed to these developments, having been designed in the dramatic Baroque style.

The church's distinctive white stucco façade is topped by a massive dome, and the interior is adorned with beautiful frescos and precise carvings, some of which portray St Nicholas' life. This is even more astounding when one considers the fact that the church was previously even more ornate. In fact, when Emperor Joseph II ordered the dissolution of many monasteries in 1781, many ornaments were taken.

The St Nicholas Church is open daily (with slightly shortened hours in the winter) and visitors are charged a nominal fee. If you have the time, the bell tower (accessible via a separate entrance) is well worth seeing: the views of the city are unrivaled. On the way up, keep an eye out for the urinal, which was erected during the communist era for personnel stationed at the top of the tower to spy on the American Embassy.

Location: Prague