Kostel Panny Marie Ustavičné pomoci a svatého Kajetána

The Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help stands on Nerudova Street in Prague's Malá Strana district, just a short walk from the road climbing toward Prague Castle. Locals and guides often call it the Church of St. Cajetan instead, a nod to the religious order behind its construction. Despite its modest street-level presence, the building carries a dense architectural and political history and still functions as an active place of worship.

Why is it also known as the Church of St. Cajetan?

The church was built by the Theatines, an order co-founded by St. Cajetan of Thiene, whose members were commonly nicknamed "Cajetans" in Bohemia. That nickname stuck to both the church and the adjoining monastery, running alongside the official Marian dedication. The foundation stone was laid in 1691, but the building was not consecrated until 29 September 1717 — construction stretched across more than a quarter of a century.

Who designed the building?

An initial design was drawn up in 1679 by Guarino Guarini, an Italian architect, mathematician and Theatine friar himself, best known for his Baroque work in Turin — though his plan was never carried out. Construction instead proceeded under Jean-Baptiste Mathey, a French architect active at the Prague court, and was completed by Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel, one of the leading figures of Bohemian Baroque and its distinctive Gothic-influenced variant. The result of this relay of architects is a building whose restrained exterior gives way to a richer, more dynamic interior.

What happened after the monastery was dissolved?

The Josephine reforms reshaped the church's fate: in 1789 the Theatine monastery was abolished, and the church itself faced possible demolition. It survived and passed under the administration of a religious endowment fund. In 1869 ownership changed again, when the retired Emperor Ferdinand I and his wife, Maria Anna of Savoy, purchased the church and monastery and handed them to the Redemptorist order. The Redemptorists ran pastoral life there until 1950, when Czechoslovakia's communist authorities forcibly shut down religious orders across the country in the so-called Action K.

What is the church's status today?

The Redemptorists formally regained the church in 2004, after decades of state control. Since August 2021, day-to-day care of the building has been entrusted to the Prague Archdiocesan Charity, which runs pastoral and charitable activities on site. The entire complex — church and former monastery together — has been protected as a national cultural monument since 1964, underlining its significance within Malá Strana's historic streetscape.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the church have two names? Its official dedication is to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, but because it was built by the Theatine order — nicknamed the Cajetans — it is widely known as the Church of St. Cajetan as well.

Where exactly is it located? On Nerudova Street in Prague's Malá Strana, along the route leading up toward Prague Castle.

Who was responsible for the design? Guarino Guarini produced the original, unbuilt design; construction was carried out by Jean-Baptiste Mathey and finished by Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel.

Can visitors enter the church? It functions as an active parish and charity church under the Prague Archdiocesan Charity, open according to service and visiting hours.