High Culture on a Low Budget: Prague’s Church of St. Nicholas

A Visit to St. Nick’s © uvak

For saints and sinners alike, the Church of St. Nicholas is one of the most extraordinary places to visit in Prague. There are, however, two churches that take the name of St. Nicholas, so make sure you head to the one in Mala Strana. With the snow falling now on the city of a hundred spires, it’s the perfect time to catch an organ or choral concert in this baroque jewel box–not to mention appropriate given the murals contained within the church of its namesake delivering gifts to children.

You can’t throw a bottle of Pilsner in Praha without hitting an advertisement for a special concert, usually contained within a church or other palatial hideaway, but these concerts are usually excellent quality with musicians who have some serious careers. Its history complements its culture, to boot: one of the few baroque churches not destroyed by the communists in the 1950s, St. Nicholas’ famous bell tower and dome were often used as lookout points by secret police. Now they’re just the crowning architectural achievement of three generations’ worth of construction; and while the final product set several people back in financial crises, you’ll only have to part with 250 Kc ($10.00 USD) to enjoy some classical music in an intimate setting.

Church of St. Nicholas (Kostel sv. Mikulas)
Malostranske namesti, Prague 1
Metro: Malostranska, Tram: 12, 22
Box Office open 2 hrs prior to concert (usually late afternoon or 6:00 PM); Best to check the listings day of or day before posted outside the church
224 190 991