Church of Our Lady before Týn

Many people cannot choose between enchanting or intimidating when it comes to this building. We won’t take any side, except showing you that the Church of Our Lady before Týn fully deserves its place on our itinerary. Replacing a 4th-century Romanesque church, it was built in four phases between 1380 and 1511. This imposing Gothic masterpiece, with its spiky towers and tall narrow proportions, became the main place of worship for the Hussite Protestant movement in the 15th century. At the time, a golden chalice and statue of King George of Bohemia were placed on the façade, before being removed and replaced with a halo and a statue of the Virgin Mary. This is due to the Protestant states losing against the Catholic League, during the Battle of White Mountain in the 17th century. Today, in addition to its religious role, the church is also a museum, housing an extensive collection of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque artworks. Unlike many other churches in Prague, you can visit this one for free. Do go inside to admire Prague’s oldest organ, installed here since 1673, as well as the tomb of Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe. Speaking about him, here’s a little anecdote on his death that has long been debated. While some suspect that mercury poisoning is at the origin of his passing in 1601, others believe a more peculiar theory impregnated into Prague’s popular culture that says that Brahe died after holding in his urine for too long. True or not, this theory often laughed upon created a well-known Czech expression: “I don’t want to die like Tycho Brahe”.  A rather unique way to mark this country’s history!