Church of Saint Procopius, Žižkov

The Church of Saint Procopius is the parish church of Prague's Žižkov district, standing on Sladkovského Square just off Seifertova Street. Its slender tower is one of the visual anchors of the Žižkov skyline, and the building itself ranks among the most substantial Neo-Gothic churches raised in Prague at the turn of the 20th century.

Who is the church dedicated to?

The church honors Saint Procopius of Sázava, venerated as one of the patron saints of Bohemia. He was chosen as patron for a large new parish church built to serve Žižkov, a working-class district that was expanding rapidly around 1900 and needed a sizeable place of worship of its own.

When was the church built?

The foundation stone was laid on 30 October 1898, on the site of a former chapel of Saint John of Nepomuk that had belonged to the Reismonka vineyard estate. The date was no coincidence: construction began to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Emperor Franz Joseph I's reign, which is why the church was informally known in its early years as the "Jubilee church." Building work took five years, culminating in a consecration on 27 September 1903, performed by the Archbishop of Prague, Cardinal Lev Skrbenský z Hříště, in the presence of the Governor of the Kingdom of Bohemia, Count Ferdinand Karl Coudenhove, and his wife.

Who designed it?

The design came from Czech architects Josef Mocker and František Mikš. Mocker was one of the leading figures of Czech Neo-Gothic architecture at the time, known for his work on Prague's St. Vitus Cathedral among other projects, so the Žižkov church fits into his broader body of work reviving and reinterpreting Gothic forms in brick-and-stone buildings of the late 19th century.

What does the interior look like?

The church follows a hall-type, three-aisled layout, with cross-ribbed vaults carried on two rows of slender columns. This arrangement echoes medieval Gothic models while remaining typical of the historicist churches built across the Austro-Hungarian monarchy in the closing decades of the 19th century. The building's dominant feature is its 73-metre tower, visible from many points across Žižkov and the surrounding districts.

Where exactly does the church stand?

The church sits on Sladkovského Square, one of the central squares of Žižkov, right by Seifertova Street. The location makes it a natural landmark for visitors exploring this part of Prague — a district set apart from the historic core but notable for its turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau and Neo-Gothic architecture.

Is the Church of Saint Procopius worth a visit?

For visitors interested in ecclesiastical architecture, the church offers an interesting counterpoint to genuine medieval Gothic buildings, showing how the style was reinterpreted by architects at the end of the 19th century. For the people of Žižkov it remains an active parish church, and its tower has shaped the district's silhouette for well over a century.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the church's patron saint? The church is dedicated to Saint Procopius of Sázava, one of the patron saints of Bohemia.

When was the church built? Construction ran from 1898 to 1903; the foundation stone was laid on 30 October 1898, and the church was consecrated on 27 September 1903.

Who designed the church? It was designed by architects Josef Mocker and František Mikš.

Why was it called the "Jubilee church"? Because construction began to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Emperor Franz Joseph I's reign.

How tall is the church tower? The tower is 73 metres tall and dominates the Žižkov skyline.

Where exactly is the church located? On Sladkovského Square, by Seifertova Street, in Prague's Žižkov district.