St. Nicholas Bell Tower
If you climb to the observation deck of St. Nicholas Bell Tower you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of Prague. This baroque tower, completed in 1755, has seen its share of dramatic history. It served as a fire watchtower and later as an observation post for secret communist police.
The tower stands beside the Church of St. Nicholas in Lesser Town Square (Malostranské náměstí) and it’s a masterpiece of baroque architecture. With its copper dome and slender bell tower, the church defines the skyline of Lesser Town and whole Prague.
St. Nicholas church and its bell tower were built by the Dientzenhofer family, important builders of the era. The interior boasts opulent baroque decorations, including frescoes, sculptures, and paintings by Karel Škréta. The organ, played by none other than Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart during his visits to Prague, adds to its charm.
The church is dedicated to St. Nicholas, one of Christianity’s most venerated saints, known as the patron of sailors, merchants, archers, children, pharmacists, lawyers, students, and prisoners. Interestingly, Prague has three churches dedicated to St. Nicholas: this one in Lesser Town, another in Old Town Square, and a third in Vršovice district.
The thin bell tower is not directly part of the church, because it doesn’t belong to the church, as it is a municipal property of the Lesser Town. That’s why it has the coat of arms of the Lesser Town with five towers above the entrance and why it has its own house number 556, while church buildings usually don’t have these. Thus, you won’t find any statues of saints on the tower.
The St. Nicholas bell tower also served as a clock tower and a fire watchtower until 1891, when the last signalman moved out. His or her task was to point out the direction of a fire with a red flag from the window, or with a lantern at night.
The Baroque bell tower took the place of the earlier Gothic town bell tower, which stood on the site of the original Gothic church of St. Nicholas before it was demolished. A Romanesque rotunda dedicated to St. Wenceslas also once occupied this location but was relocated to the edge of the square.
Since the 1960s, the St. Nicholas bell tower operated as secrete communist police observation post, codenamed „Kajka.“ Agents stationed here monitored the movement of diplomatic vehicles, focusing primarily on embassies of Western countries such as UK, USA, Germany but also Japan and Yugoslavia.
Climbing the tower feels like stepping into history. As you ascend the spiral staircase you’ll pass by preserved office and flats of the watchmen, with a unique black kitchen and other historical features. On the way, you also encounter the baroque drainage system and the bell of St. Nicholas.
Originally, the bell tower had four bells, used to signal events like natural disasters, wars, or religious occasions. Each event had a unique ringing pattern. Today, only one bell remains—the bell of St. Nicholas, cast in 1576. The other bells were taken during the two World Wars.
St. Nicholas Bell Tower Viewpoint
After climbing 215 steps, you reach the observation deck at 65 meters and enjoy a breathtaking 360-degree view of Prague. Up to the very top of the observation tower, there are 303 steps, which is the largest number of steps in Prague.
On the eastern side, you can see Charles Bridge and its endless stream of admirers. In this direction you can admire the famous Prague towers, whether in the foreground the pair of Lesser Town Bridge Towers, or on the other bank the Old Town Bridge Tower, the towers of Klementinum, Old Town churches and the Old Town Water Tower.
Lesser Town’s red rooftops stretch below, with the towers of Old Town on the opposite bank of Vltava river and the majestic Prague Castle complex rising in the distance.
From the southern view, you’ll spot the Church of Our Lady Victorious, home of the Infant Jesus of Prague, and the Czech Museum of Music. To the west, Strahov Monastery and its the Great Strahov Gardens catch your eye, while the north offers a glimpse of the grand Schwarzenberg and Salm Palaces at Caste Square (Hradčanské náměstí).
Standing here, you can admire the intricate details of the church dome’s exterior. The massive windows illuminating the chancel are framed by golden flames atop stone vases, and the dome’s copper-clad surface gleams with its iconic green patina. Above it all, the lantern spire reaches skyward, crowned by symbols of the Holy Trinity.
It’s no wonder poet Jaroslav Seifert immortalized this view in his works:
„But oh, what a beautiful view! Above the rooftops of Lesser Town, so close to you, stands the Church of St. Nicholas. With its lightness, full of color and light, its massive structure soars to the sky.“
How to get to view St. Nicholas Bell Tower
Public transport
tram Malostranské náměstí (12, 15, 20, 22, 23, 42, 97)
metro Malostranská (green line A)
bus Malostranské náměstí (194)
cycle route A1
Car (parking zones en.mapy.cz)
See the map of all viewpoints.
Plan your visit to the St. Nicholas Bell Tower
Tickets
Get your ticket online via trusted partner Get Your Guide.
Opening hours
Open daily
January–March 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
April–May 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
June–September 9 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
October–November 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
December 10 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Useful Travel Resources
I want to share and recommend these travel resources that I personally use, as they can be helpful when planning your visit to Prague.
Accommodation: Booking.com has the largest selection of incredible places to stay.
Tours: Getyourguide.com has the widest selection of guided tours and experiences from various providers, conveniently sortable by rating.
Getting around: PID Lítačka mobile app lets you buy public transportation tickets and plan your journey easily.
Last article update: 18/01/2025
Author and photo: Vera Nemochovska
