St. James Church in Prague, while not as significant as St. Vitus or Tyn Church is still one of the larger churches in the country and is located nearby the others right in the heart of Old Town Prague. Built originally in 1232 the church was rebuilt in the 14 th century and then again was later reconstructed in 1689 decorated in Baroque style that makes this church particularly unique and beautiful. In fact it is said by many observers that the decoration of this church may be the best in all of Prague, a city which boasts some very beautiful churches. The church contains 23 chapels and there is also a very important organ here dating back to 1702.
The tomb of Count Vratislav of Mitrovice is located here and it is a very beautiful tomb. Renowned artists such as Peter Brandl, Hans von Aachen and Vaclav Vavrinec Reiner among others all contributed to the decoration if this church and upon entering the interior of the church you will be blown away by the gorgeous surroundings. Another thing that might shock you upon entering is a 400 year old mummified forearm. The forearm belonged to a thief who tried to steal jewels from the Madonna on the high altar. According to legend the Madonna grabbed the man's arm and held it all night until the morning when the minorities came and tried to pry loose the man's arm, but to no avail. They were forced to cut the man's arm off and allegedly mummified it and left it as a warning to other would be thieves.
Much of the beauty of this church is in its many arches, alcoves and the amazingly detailed decoration by great artists that are displayed here. This is without question one of the most important and historically significant churches in all of Prague and each year the church plays host to a very large number of visitors. One reason for this is the churches ideal location right in the heart of Old Town Prague, nearby many other important attractions in the city. This is a church that is well known for having great acoustics and this fact has made it a very popular venue for concerts and events being held here as musical notes sound crisp and pure within its walls.
This is without question a top church to visit and many visitors will choose to see this church at night by coming to one of the many evening concerts. By doing so, you will experience this one of a kind church in all of its glory and enjoy an unforgettable experience. The one downside that is mentioned by many visitors to the church is that you are not able to see many areas within the church as they are roped off, not viewable to the public. Still this is not an attraction that you want to miss as the areas that you can see are easily worth the trip. Keep in mind that the church is somewhat hidden so it may be difficult to locate it upon arriving.
