Saint Michael church

Saint Michael's Church is a wooden Orthodox church tucked into the greenery of Kinský Garden, on the slope of Petřín hill in Prague's Smíchov district. It is one of the city's more unusual landmarks — a building that stood for more than two centuries on the other side of the Carpathians, in what is now western Ukraine, long before it ever saw the banks of the Vltava.

How did a wooden Carpathian church end up in Prague?

The church was built in the second half of the 17th century in the village of Velké Lučky near Mukachevo, in the historical region of Subcarpathian Rus'. In 1793 it was bought by the neighbouring village of Medvedivtsi, where it continued to serve as a parish church for over a hundred years. It only reached Prague in 1929: the building was carefully taken apart plank by plank, every piece numbered, and the whole structure shipped by rail in four freight wagons. The move and subsequent reconstruction were funded by the National Museum with support from the Ministry of Education, and the church has been part of the National Museum's ethnographic collection ever since.

What does it look like, and in what style was it built?

The church is a rare Prague example of Boyko-style architecture, named after the Boykos, a Ukrainian ethnic group from the Carpathian region. The style blends the eastern tradition of centrally planned churches with some western influences. The structure is entirely log-built and covered with wooden shingles, topped by three onion domes — the tallest tower reaches 17 metres. Compared with the stone churches of Prague's historic centre, it is modest in scale, and that simplicity is part of its appeal: a genuine piece of Carpathian folk sacred architecture, transplanted whole into a city park.

What happened to the church in 2020?

On 28 October 2020 a fire broke out inside the church and seriously damaged its wooden structure. The cause was never established, and police later closed the investigation without identifying anyone responsible. The loss shook Prague; a public fundraising campaign was launched for the rebuilding, and the city allocated more than 45 million Czech crowns toward the restoration.

Can visitors go inside today?

Reconstruction is underway and is being carried out carefully, following procedures approved by heritage conservators. The log structure itself was already rebuilt by autumn 2025, and work is now continuing on the roof trusses and the surrounding walkway. Completion is planned for November 2026, though officials note that conservation requirements could still push the timeline back. Until the work is finished, the interior remains closed to visitors, but Kinský Garden itself stays open, so the church's distinctive silhouette can still be admired from outside.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is Saint Michael's Church? In Kinský Garden (Kinského zahrada) on the slope of Petřín hill, in the Smíchov district (Prague 5).

Is it a Catholic church? No — it is a wooden Orthodox church, originally built in Subcarpathian Rus'.

Why is this church located in Prague? The National Museum relocated it from Subcarpathian Rus' in 1929 as an example of the region's folk wooden architecture.

Can you go inside right now? Not at the moment — the building is being restored after the 2020 fire, with work expected to finish in November 2026.

What happened to the original structure? A large part of it was destroyed by a fire in October 2020; restoration is currently financed in part by the City of Prague.