One of the most impressively built churches in Prague is the Church of our Lady before Tyn. This parish church is a sight worth seeing, especially during the night. The church was built in 1365 and is 80 meter high. Till 1620, this was the major church in Prague. The beautiful exterior and a passionately designed entrance, along with a eye captivating interior, this church holds immense beauty which makes it one of the most visited churches by tourists.
The entrance has a wonderfully painted scenery of Christ’s passion. On the walls towards the north, the Rocco altar adds a magnificent galore to the interior. The altar is termed as one of the most attractive feature of the church. Towards the right, from the altar, there is a tomb of Tycho De Brahe. He was a Danish astronomer who was a worker at the court of the Emperor Rudolph 2. Occasionally, the church is also used as a concert venue.
History
The Church of our Lady before Tyn began as a hospital church which was built for foreign merchants in the 11th century. In the later 13th century, the building was replaced by a Gothic one. The building that now stands in the name of Church of our Lady before Tyn was actually established during the mid 14th century. It was converted to a proper church with the aim of serving as a normal church for the people of Prague. It was famous as a parish church. A major construction or renovation took place which completely transformed the building. It was highly inspired by the royal smelting plant of Matthias of Arras and was known as Petr Parléř.
In the Hussite Era, the church went under the control of some Hus followers. This group was led by Jakoubek of Stříbro. When the Hussite Wars ended, the church was supposed to have a proper roof but that never happened. 20 years later, the truss of the church was constructed with the wood that was supposed to be used to built the ceremonious tribunes of the Czech king Ladislav Pohrobek wedding. As Ladislav died, the wedding never happened and thus, the wood was utilized at its best, for the church.
Opening Hours
From March to December, the church opens at 10 am from Tuesday to Sunday. It then closes at 1 pm and reopens at 5 pm and closes at 7 pm.
If you are looking to hold any services in the church then you will have to discuss it with the church administration before hand. From Wednesday to Saturday, services are held at 6 pm. On Sunday’s, services are held at 9 am and 9 pm. Groups need to make their arrangements beforehand and also get their bookings done before.
How to get there?
You can take the metro Staromestska (line A) and Namesti Republiky (line B) to get to the Church of our Lady before Tyn. You can also take the Namesti Republiky tram stops 6,8,15 and 26. If you are eager to explore the best church in Prague and you have time to visit just one; then this the best one to go for. You won’t regret visiting this building at all as it is extremely aesthetic and holds extreme value for the locals of the Czech Republic too.