Namely: one from the outside, the other from the inside. You won't need more pictures to take with you a complete picture of this Prague attraction. The Church of the Holy (sometimes they write the Most Holy, but I'm not very good at these subtleties) Heart of the Lord is located in the Prague district of Vinohrady.
The content of the article
- one Church of the Sacred Heart of the Lord in Vinohrady
- 2 Historical reference
- 3 Information to visit
- 4 On the map
Church of the Sacred Heart of the Lord in Vinohrady
Around the church, the city has set aside a small area for a conventional park. Zizkovskaya TV tower stands literally a block away from them, which sticks out over the roofs of beautiful houses on the north side. That is, the landscapes, to be honest, are very mediocre.
Although we must pay tribute, the very building of the church for a while really makes you distract from your thoughts and grab your camera. Quite unusual both for ancient Prague and for Christian buildings in general. We have somehow got used to the fact that the church is something pointed, with turrets, with a bell tower, with vaults and crosses.
And here the first thing that catches your eye is a huge clock. Moreover, huge ones are not a figure of speech, but a fact. The diameter of the transparent dial is about eight meters and it is officially the largest clock in Prague..
This clock is housed in a flat and wide tower that dominates the Vinohrady district, towering over most of the old houses. And under the tower, the main building is threateningly advanced on you, which immediately evokes an association with a mausoleum or crematorium..
When I walked around the building around the perimeter and looked inside, I realized that «flat» - this is the main form used in the construction of the Church of the Sacred Heart of the Lord. Flat walls, flat ceiling, flat tower, almost flat roof. The whole composition as a whole seemed to me personally as a giant desktop set with a clock, only that the pencils did not stick out of it.
However, I suppose that with a more creative approach and from a certain angle, the church building is easily mistaken for an ark..
Historical reference
In 1880 Vinohrady was inhabited by about 15 thousand inhabitants. In 1890, there were already more than 34 thousand people (I took the numbers from the church's website). The new century was greeted by almost 50 thousand people, of whom 90% were Catholics. At that time, there was only one church of St.Ludmila in Vinohrady, and it could no longer cope with the religious needs of the population..
After long ordeals and obstacles, the city allocates a plot of land for the construction of a church, which is not very suitable for this. In 1919, a competition was launched among architects for the best design of the church. Of the 31 submitted works, only three have been approved, but none of them has been put into operation..
As a result, after two alterations (reducing the cost of construction), the plan of the architect Josef Plečnik was adopted in 1927. In May 1928, the cornerstone was laid and the construction of the church began. It took almost four years and consumed much more finance than originally calculated..
The grand opening was celebrated by all Vinohrady in May 1932.
Information to visit
the entrance is free.
Open daily from 7 am to 9 pm.
A farm fair is held in the church park on Saturdays.
On the map
Church of the Sacred Heart of the Lord on Vinohrady
Church of the Sacred Heart of the Lord on Vinohrady
Modern church with a large clock. The architecture is not the most stunning compared to the ancient churches in Prague, but it is still a great place for a summer walk - there is a park nearby. On Saturdays there is a local farmers' fair in the early morning (there is a marker next to it on the map). And right there nearby - one of the best cafes and bakery in Prague - Le Caveau Bakery. More about the church.
Modern church with a large clock. The architecture is not the most stunning compared to the ancient churches in Prague, but it is still a great place for a summer walk - there is a park nearby. On Saturdays there is a local farmers' fair in the early morning (there is a marker next to it on the map). And right there nearby - one of the best cafes and bakery in Prague - Le Caveau Bakery. More about the church.