The all-powerful Jesuit Order commissioned this superb church, the ultimate expression of Prague baroque, at the beginning of the 18th century.

Currently being restored at a cost of 120 million Czech crowns, this monumental building was constructed in 1704-56 by the father-and-son team, Christoph and Kilián Dientzenhofer, and completed by Kilián's son-in-law, Anselmo Lurago. The interior decoration builds on an accumulation of trompe l'oeil effects, culminating in The Apotheosis of St Nicholas by Johann Kracker, a fresco covering more than 1,500sq m of the nave ceiling. The splendid dome, by Kilián Dietzenhofer, is 18m higher than the Petřín Tower. But not everything is as costly as it appears. Many of the mottled pink and green pillars, cornices and other details, for example, are faux marbre, while the four more than life-size statues under the dome are made of wood, with a surface covering of glazed chalk. These dramatic characterisations of the Church Fathers include a vigorous St Cyril triumphantly lancing the devil with his crozier. The sculptor, Ignaz Platzer, also created the copper statue of St Nicholas, which looks down from the high altar. Two other features are worthy of note: the rococo pulpit, overhanging with angels and cherubs, was made by Peter and Richard Práchner in 1765. The baroque organ, played by Mozart in 1787, boasts 2,500 pipes and 44 registers. Four years later it was played at a funeral mass in his memory. The church was full to overflowing, evidence of the esteem in which he was held here.