The Church of Our Lady Victorious is of exceptional significance not only for its architecture and artistic decoration, but above all thanks to the famous statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague.
The historical Baroque altar has the form of a triumphal arch. It was built in 1717 from the design of Jan Ferdinand Schor in 1717 by Thomas of Jesus. The statues in the foreground depict St. Teresa of Jesus and St. John of the Cross. The prophets Elijah and Elisha stand on the sides. At the top, among war trophies, there is a copy of a painting with a Christmas theme which, according to the legend, was present at the Battle of White Mountain in 1620. The large painting showing the intercession of the Virgin Mary, was painted in 1641 by Antonín Stevens of Steinfels. The altar reminds us, among other things, that it is better to win with spiritual weapons than military ones. The historic altar has been restored to its original form from the time of its creation, combining copper and gold guilding.
The main altar is the work of the academic sculptor Otmar Oliva. The altar, which stands on bronze legs, is made from a single piece of onyx originating from Pakistan. The altar was sanctified in October 2015 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the birth of St. Teresa of Jesus, the foundress of the Discalced Carmelites. At the foot of the silver cross, also by Otmar Oliva, are three nails with which Christ was pierced on the cross, together with the words of the prophet Elijah: “I have been very zealous for the Lord, God of hosts,” the motto of the Discalced Carmelites.
The sacristy is furnished with profiled and decorated cabinets dating from 1660–1670, used for storing liturgical textiles and vessels. Above the entrance is a late-Baroque statue of St. John of Nepomuk (c. 1730).
The painting of the General of the order receiving the scapular from the Mother of God was created before 1720 by Petr Brandl.
On the canopy stands a statue of the prophet Elijah, the principal patron of the Carmelite order, riding a fiery chariot. Below, the prophet Elisha from Mount Carmel catches his falling cloak.
Paintings of Matěj Zimprecht from 1669. On the altar, in a silver-ornamented case, is placed Our Lady of Mantua, a highly venerated miraculous image.
The bottom painting of the heart of St. Teresa being pierced by the fiery spear of God’s love was painted in 1752 by Jan Jiří Dietrich. A new statue of St Thérèse of Lisieux, created by Jiří Kobr, was installed on the altar on Oct 1st, 2019.
The new statue was intended for the altar of St. Teresa of Ávila. So an idea suggested itself, to connect both Saint Teresas. To refer to the One, towards whom they both pointed their lives. This idea lead me through the creation of the composition and of the form of the statue. It was meant to be, as much as possible, an organic part of the altar. Its opening which makes contact with the surrounding. Considering the personality of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus it seemed almost inappropriate to create a statue that would be directly facing the visitors, sort of at the mercy of their views… Her words invited me to contemplate again and differently the nature of holiness and I learned that the holiness is a work – an intensive activity– in the first place. An activity that aims to the ability to devote oneself to the Love. (Jiří Kobr)
The Infant Jesus was located here in 1656 – 1776. The chapel is used for the blessing of persons and objects.
The monumental façade from 1664 is decorated above the entrance with a statue of the Mother of God with the Child.
The baptismal font comes from the original Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity. It was created in 2015 by academic sculptor Otmar Oliva together with the pulpit, the altar table, and the cross, which stand along the central axis of the church.
The circular water basin and the triangular foot of the pedestal are original. At the time of its creation, the font also had a wooden lid, which has not been preserved. The newly created circles and the three-armed canopy topped with a cross from Otmar Oliva build on the font’s well shape. A stainless-steel vessel in the shape of a shell, facing the Infant Jesus, is set into the circular stone bowl.
In a glass case is a miraculous statue of the Madonna from 1626. It is used as a confessional chapel.
The parents of Our Lady. The painting of the childless couple asking God for a child —who would be the Virgin Mary—was painted in 1716 by Petr Brandl.
The statue of the Infant Jesus is kept in a glass case. On either side stand statues of Our Lady and St. Joseph. God the Father, allegorically depicted as an old man, sends his Son to earth in the upper part of the altar. At the very top is the Holy Spirit depicted in the form of a dove. The statues are the work of Petr Prachner. The altar of red and grey marble was made by František Lauermann in 1776.
The painting of St. Joseph dying in the presence of Our Lady and Christ is the work of Petr Brandl, 1720. On the altar is also a statue of Our Lady of Aparecida, patroness of Brazil, from 2007.
In the museum you can see ancient textiles from the wardrobe of the Infant Jesus of Prague, robes from the Philippines, Shanghai, Colombia and a hanbok from South Korea. There is also a crown of the Infant Jesus from the rococo period and a crown donated by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009. Art photographs of the statue in its actual size, dressed in various liturgical colours, are displayed on the staircase. There is also an interesting collection of Nativity scenes from various parts of the world.
Monday to Saturday: 9:30 – 17:30 Sunday: 13:00 – 18:00
Accessible for people with reduced mobility. Opening hours may vary during holidays.
Public Toilets Monday to Sunday: 9:30 – 17:30
The toilet is charged (20 CZK or 1 euro). A wheelchair-accessible toilet is also available. Accessible for people with reduced mobility.
