Saint Nicholas' city belfry

Situated in Malostranské Square, this baroque tower adjacent to St Nicholas Church was built by the renowned architects Kryštov and Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer. However, it was completed by their student, Anselmo Lurago, according to the original plans in 1755.

The tower used to belong to the community, and not to the church, as is indicated by the Malá Strana symbol over the entrance. This is why its street address number is 556, since most churches do not have numbered addresses. The tower’s heigh is the same as the adjacent cupola and the gallery, which is open to the public, it is 65 meters tall and has 299 steps. You can climb the bell via the separate entrance on the corner of Malostranské Square and Mostecká Street.

Interestingly, during the communist era, the tower was used to spy on the nearby American embassy - on the way up you can still see a small, white cast-iron urinal that was installed for the use of the watchers.