Saint Michael's Church

The charming church. Ludek (CC BY-SA 3.0)

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.

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.