Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Czechia Prague Saint Michael's Church
Saint Michael's Church is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

Saint Michael's Church

This charming wooden church was disassembled and moved not once but twice before settling in this Prague garden.

Prague, Czechia

stonoceno profile photo
Added By
stonoceno
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The charming church.   Ludek
The back of the church at night.   stonoceno / Atlas Obscura User
Random finds in my neighbourhood!   freyjavansiren / Atlas Obscura User
St Michael’s Church   Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
The towers of the church.   stonoceno / Atlas Obscura User
Saint Michael’s Church   Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
  Antipoet / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

This small Orthodox church has lived several lives in several places. Though it looks like the charming shingled structure was built to suit its enchanting garden home, the centuries-old church only settled into its resident spot in the 1920s.

The church was initially built in the late 1700s in a small village in Ruthenia  (which was part of Czechoslovakia 1918-1945 and it today in Ukraine) , but it didn’t stay put for long. In 1793, the wooden church was taken down and shipped to a slightly larger village, where it remained for just over 130 years. In 1929, the restless house of worship was disassembled and shipped off once again.

This time, it wound up in Prague, where it remains to this day. The quaint fairytale-esque church sits within the delightful Kinský Garden. The dark wood and domed-capped towers make it a seamless fit for the garden’s endearing appeal.

The structure stands about 45 feet tall. As with Orthodox tradition, its green, red, and white interior symbolize faith, hope, and love. The space below the tallest tower is designated for women only, as the sexes are separated within the conservative church.

Update as of October 2020: The church was recently damaged in a fire. 

Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Know Before You Go

This can be tricky to find, but it is just up the hill from the Kinsky Summerhouse, which is at the bottom of the hill in the Kinsky Gardens. On the way up, you'll likely cross a waterfall. The church is still active in the Orthodox community, and has services each week in both Romanian and Czech. It is polite to have shoulders and knees covered, and for the ladies, covering the hair, if you are to enter the church. It is only open to the public before masses and at special request.

Community Contributors

stonoceno profile photo

Added By

stonoceno

H hoham profile photo vaclavsulista profile photo Jaszmina Szendrey profile photo Kerry Wolfe profile photo

Edited By

hoham, vaclavsulista, Jaszmina Szendrey, Kerry Wolfe...

  • H hoham profile photo hoham
  • vaclavsulista profile photo vaclavsulista
  • Jaszmina Szendrey profile photo Jaszmina Szendrey
  • Kerry Wolfe profile photo Kerry Wolfe
  • freyjavansiren profile photo freyjavansiren
  • A Antipoet profile photo Antipoet

Published

February 2, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.prague-stay.com/lifestyle/review/1608-st-michaels-church-in-the-kinsky-gardens
  • http://www.prague.eu/en/object/places/1718/church-of-the-archangel-michael-at-petrin-chram-sv-archandela-michaela-na-petrine
  • https://www.praguemorning.cz/fire-seriously-damages-st-michaels-church-in-kinsky-garden/
  • https://twitter.com/HasiciPraha/status/1321467030965571590

Related Tags

Churches Gardens Architectural Oddities Woodwork Religion Architecture Plants Sacred Spaces
Saint Michael's Church
Na Hřebenkách 1284/60
Prague
Czechia
50.078429, 14.398428
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Events

Festival

4+4 Days in Motion

4+4 Days in Motion, a dynamic arts festival established in 1996, transforms Prague into a vibrant stage for...

Sat, Nov 7

Arkalycká 833

View More Events in Prague

Nearby Places

Hunger Wall of Prague

Prague, Czechia

miles away

Černy's Buried Soviet Tank

Prague, Czechia

miles away

Karel Hynek Mácha Statue

Prague, Czechia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Prague

Prague

Czechia

Places 90
Stories 1

Nearby Places

Hunger Wall of Prague

Prague, Czechia

miles away

Černy's Buried Soviet Tank

Prague, Czechia

miles away

Karel Hynek Mácha Statue

Prague, Czechia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Prague

Prague

Czechia

Places 90
Stories 1

Related Places

  • Class of 1959 Chapel.

    Boston, Massachusetts

    Class of 1959 Chapel

    The strikingly modern structure stands out among the brick buildings speckling the Harvard Business School's campus.

  • Sanctuary interior.

    San Francisco, California

    Swedenborgian Church

    The rustic cabin-like decor of this Arts and Crafts-style church reflects the love of nature central to its little-known theology.

  • The Little Church

    Drumheller, Alberta

    The Little Church

    A six-person chapel in the middle of Alberta's badlands.

  •  Angel playing bagpipes in the Thistle Chapel.

    Edinburgh, Scotland

    St Giles' Cathedral Thistle Chapel

    The 20th-century chapel’s intricate woodwork includes amazing details, most notably angels playing bagpipes.

  • The interior.

    Świdnica, Poland

    Świdnica Peace Church

    This centuries-old wooden wonder was built in less than a year and is one of Europe's largest timber-framed churches.

  • Iceland's youngest turf church.

    Iceland

    Hofskirkja

    This fairytale-like structure is the last turf church ever constructed in Iceland.

  • The Arabic inscription, which contains a verse from the Quran.

    Palermo, Italy

    Arabic Inscription of Palermo Cathedral

    Why a column on the entrance is inscribed with a verse from the Quran is one of Sicily's many mysteries.

  • St. Vartan Cathedral in the middle of the city.

    New York, New York

    Saint Vartan Armenian Cathedral

    A replica of a 7th-century church hides in plain sight in the middle of the concrete jungle.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2026 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.