Church of St. Ludmila
Prague guide
One of the first places I would like to talk about is the Church of St. Ludmila ( Czech. Kostel sv. Ludmily), which is located on Peace Square ( Czech. Náměstí Míru) in Prague 2.
This neo-gothic church was built in 1888-92 by the architect Josef Moker. Three-aisled brick building with a cruciform transept, two slender towers (60 m). Each of the towers is equipped with two bells. The interior is distinguished by colorful stained-glass windows and is replete with rich paintings and sculptural decorations.
History reference
Lyudmila was born in the family of Prince Pshovan Slavibor, later became the wife of Borzhivoy I, the first Christian prince of the Czech Republic. Lyudmila and Borzhivoy were baptized around 871 by Bishop Methodius in Velegrad, at the court of Prince Svyatopolk (874-885). After returning, they ruled together for more than seven years.
Due to Christianization in 883/884 (the exact dates are unknown), an uprising arose against the prince, and Prince Borzhivoy fled to Prince Svyatopolk I of Moravia and soon suppressed the uprising with his help. In honor of the victory, he built the Church of the Holy Virgin Mary in his capital. When Borzhivoy died a few years later, his lands came under the direct authority of Prince Svyatopolk I, however, after his death in 894, the eldest son of Borzhivoy, Spytignev I, who died in 915, became the prince of the Czechs.
The reign was taken over by the next son, Vratislav I, married to Dragomir, a nominal Christian who supported pagan traditions. Vratislav died, leaving his eight-year-old son Vatslav (Wenceslav, Vyacheslav) as heir. Wenceslas was brought up by St. Ludmila in the spirit of Christianity, while his brother Boleslav, brought up by his mother, grew up in the traditions of paganism.
After the death of Vratislav, Lyudmila continued to influence her grandson. She acted as a regent, supporting Wenceslas. At the instigation of Dragomira's daughter-in-law, two murderers, who belonged to the pagan nobility, broke into Lyudmila's chambers on the night of September 15-16, 921 and strangled her. Presumably, the veil of the princess was used as a murder weapon, which later became her symbol. Lyudmila, who died at the age of about 60, became a martyr and was canonized as a saint in 1143-1144.
In 925, the young Czech ruler Wenceslas ordered the transfer of Ludmila's remains from Tetin to Prague, to the Basilica of St. George the Victorious (Czech. Svatý Jiří, St. George) on Prague Castle, where they rest to this day. The head of St. Ludmila rests in the reliquary of the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. Vitus, next to the head of her grandson, also canonized by the Orthodox Church of St. Wenceslas (Vyacheslav).
Ludmila is revered as the patron saint of the Czech Republic, she is also the patroness of grandmothers, mothers and Christian teachers. The day of its celebration is September 16, on this day a festive mass is held on the territory of Prague Castle. In those Local Orthodox Churches where the old style is used, St. Ludmila's memorial day falls on September 29 according to the new style.
Places in the area
Near the church there is the Náměstí Míru metro station (this is a green line), and also within walking distance (15 minutes) is Václav Havel Square (one of the main squares in Prague).
There are several different restaurants around the Peace Square, of which I would mention two of them that have been around for a very long time and have their regular visitors:
- Zapomenutý Čas is a Czech cuisine restaurant. I especially recommend this restaurant during lunch hours (from 11 am to 3 pm). For a reasonable price, you will get a good lunch (at the time of writing, the price for a lunch with a glass of beer was in the range of 200 crowns). The patio is also open during the summer.
- Bruxx - This is a Belgian restaurant where you can taste Belgian beer and order a seafood platter. It is best to book a table in this restaurant in advance, as the average price per person can go up to 1000 kroons or more.
Travel notes
This church is active and services are regularly held in it. Also on the square in front of the church are festive markets for Christmas and Easter. During Christmas, a festive tree is also put up on Peace Square, not as big as on Old Town Square. And usually an exposition of the birth of Christ is placed under the tree.
During the Signal Festival, which usually takes place in mid-October, a light show is projected on the facade of the church, which usually lasts 5-10 minutes and repeats every 15-30 minutes.
For collectors of commemorative coins, there is an automatic machine in the hall of the church, in which for 2 euros or 50 crowns you will receive a commemorative coin with the image of this church.
