Church of Saint Catherine

Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria in Prague is a Baroque church tucked away in a garden in Prague's New Town, near Kateřinská Street, between Kateřinská, Viničná and Ke Karlovu. It's one of those places many Prague residents walk past without ever noticing — from the street you mostly see only its tall tower, while the church itself sits hidden inside the garden grounds.

Where exactly is the church located?

The church stands in the New Town district, roughly halfway between Karlovo náměstí (Charles Square) and the I. P. Pavlova area, right next to the complex of the General University Hospital and its neurology clinic. This combination — a hospital campus and a garden setting set back from the street — is exactly why the building is so easy to miss even for people who know this part of Prague well. You need to step into a side path to actually see it.

What is the history behind this church?

The original church was founded by Emperor Charles IV in the mid-14th century as part of a convent for Augustinian nuns, dedicated to his favored saint, Catherine of Alexandria. Construction of the Gothic church and the adjoining convent buildings took place between 1355 and 1367, part of Charles IV's broader project of founding new churches and monasteries as he expanded Prague's New Town. From 1568 onward, the complex passed to the male branch of the Augustinian order, and a monastery continued operating on the site for centuries afterward.

In the 18th century the whole complex underwent a thorough Baroque rebuilding. A new cloister was built between 1718 and 1730 to a design by Kryštof Dientzenhofer, and the church itself was rebuilt between 1737 and 1741 following plans by his son, Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer — one of the most important architects of Bohemian Baroque. Of the original Gothic structure, essentially only the tower survived, and it remains a distinctive landmark in this part of the New Town to this day.

What makes the tower and the building itself worth noticing?

The tower rises to about 51.3 meters and ranks among the more recognizable landmarks visible from several vantage points in this part of Prague. Its shape is unusual: square at the base, it transitions into an octagonal form higher up. That slender, many-sided silhouette is why locals sometimes nickname it the "Prague minaret" — a nod to its visual resemblance to Ottoman minaret architecture, even though there's no functional or religious connection to Islam, just a similarity in form.

Who uses the church today?

Since 2012, the church has hosted Orthodox Christian services, so it remains an active place of worship. Because of its hidden, garden-set location, though, it tends to draw people who are specifically looking for it rather than casual sightseers walking the New Town's main tourist routes.

Frequently asked questions

Is the church easy to reach from central Prague? It sits within the New Town, between Karlovo náměstí and I. P. Pavlova, an area well connected to the center — though the building itself is set back inside a garden, off the main streets, so you need to look for the side path leading to it.

Why is the tower nicknamed the "Prague minaret"? Because of its slender, multi-sided shape — square at the base and octagonal above — which visually echoes Ottoman minaret architecture.

How much of the original Gothic building survives? Essentially only the tower. The rest of the church and convent were rebuilt in Baroque style during the 18th century by Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer.

Which religious community uses the church today? Since 2012 it has hosted Orthodox Christian services.