Church of St. Ignac Prague
On the corner of Ječná Street and Charles Square in Prague 2 we find the early Baroque church of St. Ignatius, which is one of the first Prague buildings of this artistic style and especially one of the largest Jesuit complexes in Europe. Its architect Carlo Lurago is said to have been inspired in his work by the main Roman Jesuit temple, Il Gesú.
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Interesting facts Church of St. Ignac Prague
The construction of the church dates back to the first half of the 17th century and after the completion of the construction, the church was dedicated to St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order, which is characterized by strict barracks, complete subordination and harsh discipline. Church of St. Ignatius was built in places where 23 houses used to stand, which were demolished due to the construction of the church.
In the facade of the church, on its own hill, there is a statue of St. Ignatius with an interestingly executed halo, which winds along the entire body of the saint. At the time the church was built, this halo had an outrageous impression, because the privilege of the halo surrounding the whole body belonged only to Christ. However, the Jesuits still defended their eccentricity, mainly due to their strong position.
The sculptural decoration of the interior of the church is the work of Matěj Václav Jäckel and the painterly decoration of Jan Jiří Heintsch.
In the tympanum of the church there is an inscription MAIORI DEI GLORIAE and SANCTI IGNAZII HONORI PIAETAS EREXIT, in which capital letters indicate the chronogram with the year 1671. It was in this year that the statue of St. Ignatius. The text itself worships St. Ignatius.
Author: Andrea Štyndlová