Carpathian Ruthenian Church in the Kinský Gardens
3 June 2018
This tiny Orthodox church is a gem of Carpathian architecture in the center of Bohemia. It was placed in the lush garden of Petřín Hill in 1929.
The church originally comes from Carpathian Ruthenia and dates back to the 17th century. It was relocated to the Kinský Gardens in Prague to celebrate the 10th anniversary of annexation of the region to Czechoslovakia after WWI.
The structure of the temple is made entirely of wood. It is 14 meters long and 8 meters wide with 3 onion-like towers. The highest tower is 17 meters high and it is raised over the area in the church occupied by the women. All the towers are painted in 3 colors: white, green and red, symbolizing faith, hope and love. At the top of each tower, there is an Orthodox cross.
Interestingly, the church is well hidden by the surrounding trees and many locals don’t even know about its existence. Despite its location – 5 minutes walk from the city center!
How to get there:
The easiest way is by the main entrance of the Kinský Garden. The park gates are located at the Náměstí Kinských Square (tram 9, 12, 20, 22 to Újezd). When inside, you just need to walk towards the main palace - there is a path behind which will lead you to the church on the hill.
Address: Kinského zahrada, Praha-Smíchov
/Note from 2022: unfortunately on 28.10.2020 somebody set fire to the church and it burnt down completely. There is currently noting left to see :( We hope it will be rebuilt one day. /