Prague, Petrovice – Church of St. Jakub, the oldest building far and wide
Petrovice – the smallest part of Prague – joined the capital “until” in 1968. Their history began to be written already in the Middle Ages, in the 13th century at the latest. It is determined by age the oldest surviving buildings in Petrovice, the church just mentioned, originally built in the Romanesque style. Its origin can be placed “in the period of the turn of the Romanesque and Gothic styles, therefore before the year 1250,” Petr Říha describes in the book Petrovice: 770 let.
Gothic church with baroque altar
Many church buildings not only in Prague show signs of multiple building styles. The most famous Czech church – the St. Vitus church, bears elements of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque, as it was developed and built over the course of several centuries. It is no different in the case of the church in Petrovice, which is dedicated to Jacob the Elderone of the twelve apostles, to whom churches are also dedicated in the Old Town, in Zbraslav or in Stodůlky.
The exact age of the building could not be ascertained, but it also has elements of the Romanesque style, which preceded Gothic. “At the end of the 14th or the beginning of the 15th, the church was decorated with valuable wall paintings. The southern portal also dates from the same century,” Říha.
The altar of the church is noticeably newer – baroque. However, its establishment was not the result of “modernization”, but of necessity. The Thirty Years’ War also significantly affected Prague and its surroundings. Soldiers often looted the village, burned and looted many. They did not spare even the churches, in which one could find many expensive and useful things. Even in Petrovice, “the church equipment was definitely destroyed.
“What was valuable was stolen, what was wooden was burned. That is why at this time the Petrovice church had to receive St. Jakub’s new baroque altar and a small side altar, which bore the year 1678,” Říha describes. However, not one survived – the one the current altar dates from the 18th century and should be the oldest part of the church’s inventory. However, we should not forget the larger of the church’s two bells, which was “cast in 1694 in the workshop of Jan Pricquey.” The Germans wanted to melt it down for war purposes during the Second World War, but luckily the end of the war got ahead of their plan.
Petrovice is the smallest district of the capital city of Prague.
Author: ÚMČ Prague – Petrovice
Baroque church without an “onion”
“The church underwent the most fundamental reconstruction after 1716, when Petrovice bought it František Peceli from Adlersheim,” states Říha. “He had the original medieval fortress built on the site baroque castle and had the church of St. Jakub. A sacristy was added to the nave and tower with originally an onion mine.” It is the tip of the tower, so typical of the Baroque period, which is technically called a mine. For example, the St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle is still proud of such an “onion” to this day.
Why didn’t the mine in Petrovice survive? The work of another huge reconstruction in 1910, which “returned the church in time”. “The late Gothic style was chosen for the external appearance of the church, for the interior neo-Romanesque, using appropriately the oldest building elements.” Many baroque aspects were removed to make the church look Gothic again. Among them “was the baroque dome of the tower was removed and replaced by a four-sided conical roof.” At least the shape of the windows remained from the Baroque.
It was a trend that was not unique in Czech history. In the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the old ones came into architectural interest historical styles – the most so-called Gothic Revival, which, with the help of modern procedures, was aesthetically based on the original Gothic style. Many such buildings were built in Prague – the most famous are probably The regional maternity hospital near Apollinaris, or the church of St. Ludmila on Náměstí Miruafter all, even the St. Vitus Cathedral was completed with neo-Gothic intentions.
Church of St. Jakub the Elder is located in the historical core of the smallest of Prague’s districts – in Petrovice.
Author: David Malík
Under both
From the point of view of the history of the church of St. Jakub, it is interesting that they worked in the church for roughly two centuries Hussite priests. Therefore, from the beginning of the 15th century, similar masses were held here. “This state of affairs lasted until the strengthening of the Habsburg government after the Battle of Bílá Hora in 1620,” states Říha and cites a historical record describing the events of that time: “that year, as a result of the imperial decree, the parish priest had to leave Petrovice under both, after which the settlement to the parish priest Čestlicki is put under management.’
Tunnel
A mysterious underground passage was supposed to lead under the church. According to Říha, it was discovered in 1923, as it was supposed to demonstrably lead to the former sheepfolds, where the rectory was later located.
“From other indications, it is concluded that the underground passage came to Petrovice from Uhříněvsi and bifurcated under the church. Even though the corridors are now blocked and impassable, you can follow their progress to the Petrovice fortress and beyond,” mentions Říha. “The second branch goes under the sheepfold and continues to Dolní Měcholup and further to the old Strašnice, where there used to be two fortresses in the 14th century. In the places where the corridor passes the Hostivař, it branches off into the historical building in the direction of Stětí St. John the Baptist, where it ends.”
The graveyard with the richest homeless man
It is also part of the church the oldest Petrovice cemetery, which stretched between the tabernacle and the castle probably since the early Middle Ages. This is nothing unusual – where churches were built, cemeteries were usually built, and vice versa. And since there were no churches in Prague either, we find different cemeteries in almost every other district.
Church of St. James the Elder is most likely the oldest building in Petrovice, Prague.
Author: David Malík
The historical one in Petrovice is one of two in the district. “To this day, only the cemetery has survived a very small number of tombstones,” recounts Říha, noting that after the new cemetery was established, the remains of many were transferred there. “The last burial in this cemetery took place on June 27, 1930. However, the last one was really only in November 2003, when it was put into the ground under the windows of his castle residence an urn with the ashes of the murdered “richest homeless man” Jan Šimůnek (†50), better known in Petrovice under the nickname Otík.”
And why the title of the richest homeless person? He worked and lived in Petrovice Castle for many decades. When the castle ceased to operate, the State Estate, which used it, “Otík” remained in the abandoned and dilapidated building. “He helped where needed“says Říha, saying that he was a popular and undemanding neighbor.
“He bathed in nature or with his friends, lit candles, did not expect more than a little food and a crown.” His sad fate was then fulfilled on November 4, 2002, when he was murdered by a young man whom “Otík” was taking care of, and “who” he needed money for one of his escapes from the reformatory.”
A bird’s-eye view of the oldest part of Prague’s Petrovice together with the local castle and the medieval church of St. Jacob the Elder.
Author: David Malík
Jakub the patron saint of Petrový Petrovice?
One cannot fail to notice that Petrovice, unlike many other city districts, derives its name from a name. Most villages and townships derive their name from the founders – for example, as far as Hloubětín is concerned, it should be a certain Hlúpata, in the case of Hostivar it was Hostivar, Strašnice originated as Strašnova ves. In the case of Petrovice, the name is “derived from the name of the owner of the place in question, and is interpreted as Peter’s village or also the village of Peter’s people“, continues Říha.
since Peter is a saint, it would be suggested that St. Petr was the patron saint of Petrovice. But that’s not the case. That’s exactly what he is the saint to whom the church is dedicated – St. Jakub. He is also the patron saint of pilgrims, pharmacists and, of course, Spain. The famous cathedral in Santiago de Compostela it was built precisely to preserve his remains.
Although it was founded in the Middle Ages, the church of St. Jacob the Great with the so-called baroque onion tower. However, as part of the reconstruction, they finally removed it and replaced it with the current one.
Author: David Malík