History

History St. Giles Church in Prague
 
Construction
The construction of this unique Prague monument was started by bishop Jan IV of Dražice and continued by archbishop Arnošt of Pardubice. The entire construction was designed as a high three-nave hall, for the use by the Chapter which replaced there the German Knights Order, having its seat already before, from 1238, at an old little church built in the Romanesque style.

St. Giles Church in Prague was consecrated on the 4th of May 1371.

 

Leading personalities of the St. Giles Church
An important preacher in the Prague Church of St. Giles was Jan Milíč of Kroměříž, a Czech religious thinker and one of the leading representatives of the pre-Hussite Reformation, who was preaching there in the Czech language already from 1364.

A member of the local Chapter was probably also St. John Nepomucenus, Vicar General of the Prague Archdiocese and martyr of the Catholic Church, one of the patrons of the Czech historical lands. He is supposed to have been active in the St. Giles Church during 1387-1388.

Dominicans at St. Giles in Prague
The Chapter ceased to exist in 1420 and the church was administered by the Utraquists. In 1626 it was donated to the Dominican order, as the Dominicans had their seat in the St. Agnes monastery in the Prague quarter called "na Františku" at that time (before the Jesuits came to Prague, the Dominicans had been settled at the St. Clement's church - the system of buildings is currently known as the Clementinum).

 

The Dominicans decided to build up their monastery in the immediate surroundings of the St. Giles Church, in the place of adjacent buildings and the old parish school. A four-wing building was constructed this way in the Prague Old Town between Husova, Jalovcová and Jilská streets.

Prague Baroque
By that time the Dominicans decided to make Baroque treatments in the Gothic Church of St. Giles. The work started in 1731, and an important role was played by Architect F. M. Kaňka, who built the shallow conch-style chancel.

The main Baroque treatments in the church were carried out by the builder F. Špaček. The Baroque treatments covered also the beautiful Gothic portal on the southern side of the church which was revealed and uncovered during the renovation of the church carried out after 1968. The generous equipment of the church was acquired in a gradual manner, up to 1744.
 

St. Agnes monastery in the Prague

Interior
The interior of the church is divided by two pairs of Baroque pillars. The frescoes on the vaults were painted by V. Reiner in 1734-35. They show the Celebration of the Dominican Order, Pope Innocence's Vision and partly the Legend on St. Giles in the central part, Legend on St. Dominic in the right part and Legend on St. Thomas Aquinas in the left part of the vault. The rich stucco decoration of the interior was made by B. Spinetti.

Altars
The right-hand side nave includes the Altar of the Virgin Mary of Sorrows from 1750-51, with statues made by Woodcarver J.A. Quittainer and pictures painted by P. Molitor, as well as the Altar of St. Catherine of Siena with statues of apostles from F. M. Brokoff from the period around 1730 and a picture made by E. Dítě from 1892.
 
At the church pillars it is possible to find the Altars of St. Barbara from 1734-36 with carvings by M. Schönher, the Altar of St. John Nepomucenus with carvings by J. A. Quittainer from 1740 and the Altar of St. Dominic with carvings by F. I. Weiss from 1735.
 
Another altar in the chapel of the right-hand side nave is the Altar of the Virgin Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary, with Schönher's statues and a picture painted by J. Hellich. In front of the altar, at the wall of the church, it is possible to see a marble tomb stone of Attorney Dr. Mořic Mráček, work of the Munich Sculptor L. Schwanthaler from 1839-45.
 
The main altar is of a frame type and features a picture of the Foundation of the Dominican Order, painted by A. Stevens in 1660. Both the frame and the altar retable are from 1734-38, made by F. I. Weiss, who made the church pulpit in 1753 as well.
 
The left part of the chapel includes the altar of St. Wenceslas with carvings from M. Schönherr and with a picture from V. V. Reiner, who is buried in this church (the tomb stone is situated in front of St. Vincent's altar). The altar dates back to 1738.

 

Along the wall of the left nave it is possible to see St. Florian's altar from 1750-51 with carvings from J. A. Quittainer and also St. Vincent's altar with a picture painted by E. Dítě. 

At the pillars it is possible to find the Holy Cross Altar by F. I. Weiss from 1735 and the Altar of St. Thomas Aquinas made by J. A. Quitainer from 1734 with a picture of this saint painted by M. Zimprecht and a picture of St. Dorothy with carvings from M. Schönherr, dating back to 1734-36.

 

Confessional boxes
A beautiful part of the church equipment is formed by four confessional boxes carved in 1760-65 by R. Prachner.

Organ in the church

The organ dates back to 1733, including the wonderful Baroque carving from F. I. Weiss.
 
In 1888, the organ was extended and completed by Emanuel Štěpán Petr. Other treatments were carried out in 1969 (Organa) according to the design of Prof. J. B. Krajs.
 
Thanks to its unique sound characteristics, the organ belongs among favourite concert instruments of leading Czech as well as European organists. For example, Eduard Tregler (1868-1932), a well-known virtuoso and composer, was playing there as well.

 

We bessech for finance help for organ rebuilding.
 

The organ in the St. Giles

 

 

Zdislava's Chapel

The entrance into the separated St. Zdislava's Chapel is situated on the left side, under the choir.  The main mosaic of the chapel is from the painter and graphic artist Šerých from 1991.