- Address: Malá Štupartská 635/6, 110 00 Staré Město, Czech Republic
- Condition: active
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Prague
In the historic center of Prague , in the area of Stare Mesto is the Church of St. Jakub (Kostel svatého Jakuba Většího). It is the oldest gothic structure in the capital of the Czech Republic , and by its size it occupies the 2 nd place after the St. Vitus Cathedral . It is a majestic and luxurious temple, which tourists visit with pleasure.
Historical information about the church
To build the church began in 1232 on the orders of King Wenceslas the First, who called for this Minorite. After 12 years, the heir of the monarch named Přemysl Otakar the First gave the temple the relics of the Holy Apostle James. The final work on the construction of the facility ended in about 50 years.
At the beginning of the 14th century, a fire broke out here, which greatly damaged the Church of St. Jakub in Prague. The restoration work was accompanied by the leadership of King Jan of Luxembourg. Provided financial assistance and local aristocrats. After the restoration, the temple began to play a significant role in the lives of citizens.
During the Hussite wars the building was looted, but the facade of the building was not damaged. Warriors arranged here a weapons warehouse. Until the middle of the XVII century the church of St. Jakub was in desolation, until in 1689 once again was not affected by the fire.
Finishing works were handled by the famous Czech masters - Ottavio Mosto and Jan Shimon Panek. The decoration of the church, created by them, was considered the most luxurious at that time. By the way, some elements of decor have survived to this day.
Legends connected with the Church of St. Jakub
During its existence, the temple has acquired many secrets and sad legends, the most famous of them are:
- Count Vratislav Mitrovitsky was buried in the church. Immediately after the funeral, strange sounds began to be heard from the crypt, lasting several days. The priests believed that the soul of the deceased could not rest. When the sarcophagus was opened, they saw that the body of the deceased was in a sitting position. Most likely, the aristocrat was in a state of lethargy and died already in the coffin.
- On the right side of the main passage to the Cathedral of St. Jakub in Prague is a withered human hand. It belonged to a thief who wanted to steal jewels from the altar, but was captured by the Virgin. Nobody was able to release the criminal's hand, so it was cut off and mummified.
- The painting of the altar was occupied by the artist V. V. Rainer. At that time the plague raged in the city. The divine image protected him from illness, but when the painting was finished, the master still contracted and died.
Description of the Church of St. Jakub in Prague
The last time the cathedral was renovated in the 40s of the XX century. The facade of the church is decorated with scenes from the life of St. Francis. In 1702 a beautiful organ was erected here, which today is the main pride of the church. Thanks to the remarkable acoustics of the room, concerts are often held here.
In the church there are 23 chapels, 21 altars and 3 naves. The entrance portal is decorated with majestic sculptural compositions. The interior walls and arches were painted by famous artists of the Czech Republic: Hans von Aachen, Peter Brendley, Vaklav Vavrinek Reiner, François Vogue and others. Here you can also see a variety of coats of arms.
Features of visit
The Church of St. Jakub in Prague is in force. It still holds services and religious rites: wedding, baptism, etc. Tourists come to church to pray, listen to the organ and get acquainted with the history of the city.
How to get there?
From the center of Prague to the Church of St. Jakub, trams Nos. 94, 56, 54, 51, 26, 24, 14, 8 and 5 can be reached. The stop is called Náměstí Republiky. The journey takes up to 15 minutes. Also here you can get on metro line B or walk along the streets of Wilsonova and Nábřeží Kapitána Jaroše or Italská.