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Church of St Václav (Kostel sv. Václava)
The Church of St Václav was built in the pure style of an early Christian basilica and is one of the most significant Czech Neo-Renaissance monuments. The church, with its three-aisled nave and twin 50 m towers, was designed by the architect Antonín Barviti and was built between 1881 and 1885. Under the ceiling, with its polychromed and gilded wooden coffers, are 14 simple stained glass windows that illuminate the church’s interior with a pale green light.
- Monuments & Architecture
- church
- historicist styles
Practical information
REGULAR ROMAN CATHOLIC MASSES:
September - June
- Sun: 8.00, 9.30, 18.00
- Mon - Sat 7.30, 17.30
July - August
- Sun: 8.00, 18.00
- Mon, Wed, Fri: 17.30
- Tue, Thu, Sat 7.30
Contacts
- Church of St Václav (Kostel sv. Václava)
- náměstí 14. října
- 150 00 Praha 5 – Smíchov
- +420257317652
- +420724324555
Object history
The Church of St Wenceslaus in Prague's Smíchov district is one of the most beautiful examples of Neo-Renaissance architecture. The church was built in the 19th century, in 1881 – 1885, according to the design of architect Antonín Barvitius. The master builders were Josef Linhart and Vilém Mild. The front of the façade and two towers face Štefánikova Street. The 50 metre towers dominate the Smíchov skyline. The original bells in the towers were replaced with new ones cast by the famous bell foundry Petr Manoušek of Zbraslav. The bells first rang in February 1996.
Created by Ludvík Šimek, a maiolica relief of the patron of the Czech lands, Saint Wenceslaus, with two angels is featured at the entrance above the main church portal. The interior of the three-aisle basilica his richly decorated. Ionic
columns separate the nave from the side aisles. The coffered ceiling is polychrome and richly gilded.
The mosaic at the end of the nave depicts a larger-than-life Christ with a group of saints (Saints Wenceslaus, Ludmila, Peter, Paul, Procopius and Adalbert), created based on a preparatory design by Prague painting academy Professor Josef Trenkwald. Painter František Sequens created four paintings under the mosaic depicting scenes from the life of Saint Wenceslaus. The side apses are also decorated with paintings and mosaics.
The main altar, which was also designed by Barvitius, is made of several types of Carrara marble. Statues of St Adalbert and St Ludmila by Čeněk Vosmík stand before the altar.
The church belongs to the Roman Catholic Church.
Information source: www.farnostsmichov.cz