Chapel Fresco, St. Nicholas Church, Malá Strana, Prague 3
The story of the nosy church official… Rumor has it that the painter of the chapel fresco (I’ve seen it ascribed to Karel Skréta, Johann Kracker and a variety of other names) liked to work in privacy. One day he spotted a Jesuit church official peeking in on his progress.
Continue readingChapel Fresco, St. Nicholas Church, Malá Strana, Prague 3
St. Nicholas Church, Malá 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
Ceiling, St. Nicholas Church, Malá Strana, Prague
St. Nicholas’s ceiling – The Apotheosis of St. Nicholas – comes to you courtesy of the Austrian artist, Johann Lukas Kracker. It’s one of the largest ceiling frescoes in Europe.
Organ, St. Nicholas Church, Malá Strana, Prague
Mozart played here. Or, to be more precise, Mozart played on this organ. Built by the Jesuit Thomas Scwharz (1745-1747), the organ has over 4,000 pipes. Mozart’s connection with Prague came about through his friendship with composer Frantisek Dusek and his wife Josefina. They first met in Salzburg, when the Duseks
Continue readingOrgan, St. Nicholas Church, Malá Strana, Prague
