St. Nicholas Church, Malá Strana, Prague

St. Nicholas Church, Mala Strana, Prague

There are a few St. Nicholas Churches kicking around Prague – here is the one in Malá Strana (the Lesser Quarter).

Begun in 1704, this Baroque grandpapa took 51 years to complete. Neither the original architect, the Bavarian Christoph Dientzenhofer, nor his son Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, lived to see the finish.

The interior is pink pastry, topping even St. James Cathedral in Innsbruck. If bloodthirsty cherubim and frescoes aren’t to your taste, look for the 19th century graffiti on the railings of the second floor balcony.

Or gird your quads for a trip to the tower. You’ll get a splendid view of the city – and a Soviet-era urinal.

During the Cold War, the Russians used the tower as a convenient observatory post. Spies past their prime were sent to the Dedkárna (Old Geezers’ Room) or Dedkostroj (Old Geezers’ Machine) to keep an eye on “enemy” embassies.