“What stories could these ancient walls tell?” This question lingers as we approach the Kostel svatého Michala v Jirchářích. Today, we explore St. Michael’s Church in Jircháře. It stands in Prague’s New Town near the National Theatre. The church’s nickname comes from its location in Jircháře.
This church serves as a place of worship for the Czech, Slovak, and English congregations. They belong to the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession. The church’s architecture is a blend of styles. This is due to changes over different periods. It is a protected cultural monument.
The history of St. Michael’s Church is long. The first mention of a settlement here dates back to 1115. Prince Vladislav issued a charter for the Benedictine monastery in Kladruby. Benedictine monks settled here. They built a settlement for colonists called Opatovice. This settlement was a midpoint between Prague Castle and Vyšehrad. With the colonists came a Romanesque church dedicated to St. Michael.
In 1348 Charles IV founded the New Town. The church then functioned as a parish church of the New Town. Newtowners and a Prague archdeacon held rights over the church.
In 1369 the original Romanesque church was replaced. A Gothic church was built. It featured a tower in the west, a rectangular nave, and a unique presbytery. The presbytery had an asymmetrical vault. In 1387 the church expanded with a northern side nave. A parish school connected to the church in 1399.
The church of St. Michael was linked to Zbraslav monastery in the 15th century. In 1511 builders vaulted the main nave and south aisle. Renaissance builders added arc-form shields in the 16th century. A distinctive feature was a narrow, high Gothic tower. It stood above the chancel and a brick corridor. The corridor led to the rectory.
The Protestant church managed St. Michael’s until 1621. Then the Catholic Church took control. It lost its parish status. It became subordinate to a church in Jircháře. After a fire in 1717, Baroque reconstruction began.
During this Baroque phase, workers bricked up two Gothic windows. Oval-shaped windows replaced them. The presbytery gained a baroque baptistery. A new staircase led to the rebuilt choir loft. In 1722 the tower was reconstructed. In 1770 a new main altar was added to St. Michael’s Church.
Emperor Joseph II ordered the church’s abolishment in 1787. A Prague merchant bought it two years later. In 1791 German Protestants acquired the church. They planned to destroy the tower. They wanted to rebuild the exterior like a bourgeois house. However, they received an exception and the tower remained. Protestants added a new organ, benches, and chandeliers.
In 1882 a builder secured the entire structure. Two western windows were created in 1904. A Revival Gothic reconstruction followed. Eastern Gothic windows were revealed. Brickwork and oval windows were removed. The Baroque tower received a new copper roof.
St. Michael’s asymmetric three-nave design is unique. The medium nave is vaulted by two-bays cross vaults. Rib vaults converge on multi-lobed brackets. The trapezoidal presbytery connects to the nave.
The exterior support system features over-tile roofs. Cross vaults span the nave. The presbytery’s geometry is a trapezoid. The church’s vault construction makes it unique Gothic architecture in Prague.
The sacristy dates from the late Middle Ages. It connects to the presbytery. The sacristy was built in Baroque style.
The main portal on the north side accesses the three naves. The modern Gothic portal dates to 1914. The Gothic portal in the south aisle is also notable.
Light flows through segmented windows. Restored Gothic windows are visible. Remnants of Baroque arches remain.
The tower has a square shape. It is oriented to the west. The tower has a baroque facade. The belfry holds a bell made by Octave Winter. A copper onion dome tops the tower.
Inside, the organ gallery is from the Renaissance. It was rebuilt in Neo Baroque style. The main altar is late Rococo. It dates to around 1770 and was originally dedicated to St. Michael.
The wooden pulpit is in Classicism style. The organ dates from the second half of the 19th century.
St. Michael’s Church is a testament to Prague’s rich history. Its blend of architectural styles and its long past make it a special place. As we leave, remember the many stories these walls hold.