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St. Salvator Church (Czech: Kostel svatého Salvátora) is a Roman Catholic Church in the
The church was built on the foundations of the Gothic Church of St. Clement, which was affiliated to the Dominican Order. For many years, from the turn of the 16th-17th century was gradually built by anonymous people, then by
Klementinum
The Clementinum (''Klementinum'' in Czech) is a historic complex of buildings in Prague. Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries; the City Library was also nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. In 2009, the ...
, in Old Town
In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...
, Prague, Czech Republic.
History
The church was built on the foundations of the Gothic Church of St. Clement, which was affiliated to the Dominican Order. For many years, from the turn of the 16th-17th century was gradually built by anonymous people, then by Carlo Lurago
Carlo Lurago (also spelled Luraghi) (1615 – 22 October 1684) was an Italian architect, who was most active in Prague.
He was born in Pellio Superiore in the Val d'Intelvi, near Como. At the age of 23, as an already an accomplished plasterer, ...
and Francesco Caratti. As early as 1578 - 1581, the Society of Jesus, led by Rector Giovanni Paolo Campana, laid the foundations of the building, then a chancel and a transept were built.
In 1581, the primate of the neighboring Jewish ghetto
In the Jewish diaspora, a Jewish quarter (also known as jewry, ''juiverie'', ''Judengasse'', Jewynstreet, Jewtown, or proto-ghetto) is the area of a city traditionally inhabited by Jews. Jewish quarters, like the Jewish ghettos in Europe, were ...
, Mordechai Maisel donated 100 thalers to build the church, which testifies to a completely unprecedented tolerant atmosphere and the peaceful coexistence of different religions within Rudolfinian Prague.
At the beginning of the 17th century, a whole nave and a western marble portal with a portico were built. The church received built-in emporiums and stucco decoration. The construction was managed by the Italian architect Carlo Lurago
Carlo Lurago (also spelled Luraghi) (1615 – 22 October 1684) was an Italian architect, who was most active in Prague.
He was born in Pellio Superiore in the Val d'Intelvi, near Como. At the age of 23, as an already an accomplished plasterer, ...
. At the end of the 1740s, a dome
A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...
was hung above the sanctuary, decorated with stucco from the workshop of Johann Georg Bendl. This is the so-called false dome
A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...
of the octagonal floor plan on the tholobate. The stucco decoration later had to be removed for its weight and replaced with a new one. In the years 1654–1659, according to Lurago's design, a new representative façade was built with three arched arcades reminiscent of Roman triumphal arches. The church towers were modified and raised in 1714 by architect František Maximilián Kaňka.
In the 18th century, anti-Reformation Jesuit theologian Antonín Koniáš occasionally preached in the church. Between 1805 and 1819, Bernard Bolzano, a university preacher, was here. Jakub Jan Ryba
Jakub Šimon Jan Ryba (surname also Poisson, Peace, Ryballandini, Rybaville; 26 October 1765 – 8 April 1815) was a Czech teacher and composer of classical music. His most famous work is '' Czech Christmas Mass "Hey, Master!"'' (''Česká mše ...
played the organ here in the 1880s. In 1950, Oto Mádr devoted himself to the pastoral care of university youth.
College
The adjacent dormitory included the missionaryKarel Slavíček
Karel Slavíček, (), (12 December 1678 – 24 September 1735) was a Jesuit missionary and scientist, the first Czech sinologist and author of the first precise map of Beijing.
Biography
Early life and studies in the Czech lands
Karel Sl ...
, the later Bishop Franz von Dietrichstein, Tomáš Pešina of Čechorod , Saint Jan Sarkander
Jan Sarkander (Czech and Polish: ''Jan Sarkander'') (20 December 1576 – 17 March 1620) was a Polish-Czech Roman Catholic priest. Sarkander was married for a short period of time before he became widowed and pursued a path to the priesthood where ...
, and the revivalist Josef Dobrovský. After the Velvet Revolution, priests Aleš Opatrný (1990–1991), Jan Jandourek (1993–1995) and Milan Norbert Badal (1995–1996) worked in the church, among others.
See also
* List of Jesuit sitesReferences
External links
* {{Authority control Churches in Prague Old Town (Prague)