Zvonice chrámu Sv. Mikuláše / Belfry of St. Nicolas' Church (Prague) - Look-Out Towers on Waymarking.com

Rococo bell tower of the St. Nicolas' Church (Chrám Sv. Mikuláše) in Prague's Lesser town offers a beautiful vista over historic centre of Czech capital.

Construction of St. Nicholas Church at Lesser Town began in 1703. This magnificent building is the largest of Prague's churches founded by the Jesuits. St. Nicholas is the masterpiece of Kryštof and Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer, a father and son duo who constructed many buildings during the Baroque period. Unfortunately, neither lived to see its completion. The building was finished by Kilián's son-in-law, Anselmo Lurago).

While the St. Nicolas' was the property of the Catholic Church, the adjacent slender rococo tower belonged to the municipality of Lesser Town. Consequently, it has its own building number (556) and entrance. The tower, which also served as a belfry and a watchtower, was built later than church. It was completed in 1755 by his pupil and son-in-law Anselmo Lurago. Naturally, the bells were hung in the tower five years before its completion. The tower and the dome of the church are intentionally the same height, i.e. 74 m, and they are both conceived so that they correspond panoramically with St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle. The belfry also subsequently became a Prague watchtower. The last watchman lived here until 1891. Until that time, he was obliged to ring a bell in the event of a fire and to hang a red flag from the window in the direction of the conflagration, as well as a lantern at night. Nowadays the tower's gallery is open for Prague visitors and serves as lookout tower.