Evangelical church (Střešovice)

The Evangelical Church of Střešovice is a modernist house of worship belonging to the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, standing on Náměstí Před Bateriemi in Prague's Střešovice district.

When was the church built?

The congregation serving this part of Prague 6 first organized in 1932 in neighbouring Břevnov, holding its earliest services at the Na Marjánce school. It took several more years before the community got a building of its own: construction started on 7 June 1938, and the church was formally opened on 18 May 1939 — just months before the outbreak of the Second World War, during an already tense stretch for Czechoslovakia.

Who designed it, and in what style?

The building is the work of architect Bohumír Kozák, himself a member of the local congregation. He drew on two seemingly distant traditions at once: early Christian basilicas and the so-called "tolerance prayer houses" that Czech Protestant communities built after Emperor Joseph II's Patent of Toleration. The result reads as a constructivist structure, with reinforced-concrete columns and tower pillars combined with brick masonry.

What stands out inside and on the façade?

A rectangular tower topped with a glazed belfry and a clock dominates the façade, crowned by a roof bearing the Evangelical emblem of a chalice and sun. The clock itself has an unusual origin — it came from Ruzyně prison. Inside, a gilded ceiling and a blue mosaic set into the apse echo early Christian church interiors, a striking contrast with the otherwise avant-garde, twentieth-century massing of the building.

Is the church a protected landmark?

In 1977 the church was listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic, marking it as one of the protected examples of interwar sacred architecture in Prague. The building still serves its original dual role today, functioning as both a place of worship and the parish hall for the active local Evangelical congregation.

How do you get there?

The church sits on Náměstí Před Bateriemi, reachable by bus from Bořislavka station on metro line A. It makes a natural stop on a walk through Střešovice, a quiet, villa-lined district set well apart from the bustle of central Prague.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Evangelical Church of Střešovice built? Construction began in June 1938, and the church was formally opened on 18 May 1939.

Who was the architect? Bohumír Kozák designed the building; he was also a member of the congregation that worshipped there.

What architectural style is the church built in? It's a constructivist building that blends echoes of an early Christian basilica with the Czech tradition of tolerance prayer houses.

Is the building protected as a landmark? Yes, it has been listed as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic since 1977.

How do I get to the church? It stands on Náměstí Před Bateriemi, reachable by bus from Bořislavka metro station on line A.