LOVE'S GUIDE TO THE CHURCH BELLS OF PRAGUE

This site contains headline details of all the bells in Prague as researched by Ludmila Kybalová, Radek Lunga and Petr Vácha in their book "Pražské Zvony" ("Prague Bells"), published in 2005.  This book has been translated by Dickon Love from the original Czech to make the details accessible to those reading in English.  It gives names, founders and fates of bells, and weights, diameters and notes expressed in both the published metric and English Imperial systems.  The book contains much more than is given here, including photographs and inscriptions.  To see the full account then you must buy the book (which is recommended). (ISBN 80-86182-95-9 - Rybka Publishers)

The sad fact is that Prague doesn't have many bells hanging in its steeples as many were removed during wholescale requisitions.  Three fifths of the bells were requisitioned in the summer of 1916 when the only criterion of the bell's quality was age, which meant that only bells of the 15th and 16th centuries were protected.  The second requisition took place in the spring of 1917 involving all bells with a diameter of 25cm or more (with the exception of bells with significant historical significance).  After the war, churches started to replace their bells, only to have them removed again in the Second World War during the Nazi requisitions. 
Prague is divided into 57 Districts, which are identified by their number, given below. Many churches have more than one tower, and the location of each bell is noted as far as is known. Some bells are identified as Sanctus bells, others as "Funeral bells" (this is my translation of umíráček), "Curfew bells" (klekáníček) and "War bells" (poledníček).


Dickon Love is an active bellringer in the City of London and is a Past Master and Hon Librarian of the Ancient Society of College Youths, who are responsible for ringing the bells at the major towers in the City.  He is also a member of the Cambridge University Guild, the Middlesex County Association & London Diocesan Guild and the Kent County Association.  His primary interest is in the history of bells and bell towers, and the focus of his research is on the the Cities of London and Westminster and the County of Kent.  He is Tower Keeper at St Magnus the Martyr, St Mary Woolnoth, St Dunstan-in-the-West and Tower Captain at St James Garlickhythe.  He conceived and ran the projects to install new bells at St Magnus the Martyr, St Dunstan-in-the-West and St James Garlickhythe, is Churchwarden at St Magnus the Martyr, and Parish Clerk of St Clement Eastcheap. He makes his living as a management consultant working in central government.

---  Links to the Individual Towers  ---

Kostel (Svatyně) Krista Krále
Sanctuary Church of Christ the King   Prague 9 - Vysočany
Kaple Nanebevzetí Panny Marie v Klementinu (Vlašská)
Chapel of the Assumption   Prague 1 - Staré Město
Kostel Nanebevzetí Panny Marie a Sv. Karla Velikého Na Karlové
Church of Our Lady and Charlemagne   Prague 2 - Nové Město
Kostel Nanebevzetí Panny Marie na Strahové
Church of the Assumption at Strahov   Prague 1 - Hradčany
Kostel Narození Páně (in Loreta)
Church of the Nativity (in Loreta)   Prague 1 - Hradčany
Kostel Nejsvětějšího Srdce Páně
Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus   Prague 3 - Vinohrady
Kostel Nejsvětějšího Trojice
Church of the Most Holy Trinity   Prague 1 - Nové Město
Kostel Nejsvětějšího Trojice v Podskalí
Church of the Most Holy Trinity   Prague 2 - Nové Město
Kostel Panny Marie Andělské (u Kapucínů)
Capuchin Church of Our Lady the Angelic   Prague 1 - Hradčany
Kostel Panny Marie Bolestné na Slupi (u Alžbětinek)
Church of Our Lady of Sorrows   Prague 1 - Nové Město
Kostel Panny Marie Matky Ustavičné Pomoci (u Kajetánů)
Church of Our Lady Mother of Ceaseless Help   Prague 1 - Malá Strana
Kostel Panny Marie pod řetězem
Church of Our Lady beneath the Chain  Prague 1 - Malá Strana
Kostel Panny Marie Před Týnem
Church of our Lady before Tyn (Tyn Church)   Prague 1 - Staré Město
Kostel Panny Marie Sněžné
Church of our Lady of the Snow   Prague 1 - Nové Město
Kostel Panny Marie Vítězné
Church of Our Lady of Victory   Prague 1 - Malá Strana
Kostel Panny Marie, Sv. Jeronýma, Sv. Cyrila a Metoděje,
Sv. Vojtěcha a Sv. Prokopa v Emauzích
Church of St Mary, St Jerome, So Cyril & Methodius, St Adalbert and St Prokop of Emmaus
Prague 2 - Nové Město
Kostel St Michaela Archanděla
Church of St Michael the Archangel   Prague 4 - Podolí
Kostel Sv. Antonína Paduánského
Church of St Anthony of Padua Prague 7 - Holešovice
Kostel Sv. Apolináře
Collegiate Abbey of St Apollinaris   Prague 1 - Nové Město
Kostel Sv. Cyrila a Metoděje
Church of Ss Cyril and Methodius   Prague 8 - Karlín
Kostel Sv. Ducha
Church of the Holy Ghost   Prague 1 - Staré Město
Kostel Sv. Fabiána a Šebestiána
Church of Ss Fabian & Sebastian   Prague 6 - Liboc
Kostel Sv. Filip a Jakuba  (na Malvazinkách)
Church of Ss Philip and James (Malvazinky)   Prague 5 - Smíchov
Kostel Sv. Filip a Jakuba (na Zlíchové)
Church of Ss Philip and James (Zlíchov)   Prague 5 - Hlubočepy
Kostel Sv. Františka z Assisi (u Křižovníků)
Church of St Francis of Assisi   Prague 1 - Staré Město
Kostel Sv. Haštala
'Church of St Castulus   Prague 1 - Staré Město
Kostel Sv. Havla
Church of St Gallus   Prague 1 - Staré Město
Kostel Sv. Ignáce
Church of St Ignatius   Prague 2 - Nové Město
Kostel Sv. Jakuba
Church of St James   Prague 1 - Staré Město
Kostel Sv. Jana Nepomuckého na Skalce
Church of St John of Nepomuk on the Rock   Prague 2 - Nové Město
Kostel Sv. Jiljí
St Giles   Prague 1 - Staré Město
Kostel Sv. Jindřicha a Sv. Kunhuty
Church of Ss Henry and Kunhuta   Prague 1 - Nové Město
Kostel Sv. Jiří
Church of St George   Prague 1 - Hradčany
Kostel Sv. Josefa
Church of St Joseph   Prague 1 - Malá Strana
Kostel Sv. Josefa (u Kapcínů)
Capuchin Church of St Joseph   Prague 1 - Nové Město
Kapel Sv. Kříže
Chapel of St Cross (Cathedral Quarter)   Prague 1 - Hradčany
Kostel Sv. Kříže
Church of St Cross (New Town)   Prague 1 - Nové Město
Kostel Sv. Ludmily
Church of St Ludmila   Prague 2 - Vinohrady
Kostel Sv. Markéty
Church of St Margaret   Prague 6 - Břevnov
Kostel Sv. Matěje
Church of St Matthew   Prague 6 - Dejvice
Kostel Sv. Mikuláše
Church of St Nicholas (Little Town)   Prague 1 - Malá Strana
Kostel Sv. Mikuláše
Church of St Nicholas (Old Town)   Prague 1 - Staré Město
Kostel Sv. Mikuláše
Church of St Nicholas (Vršovice)   Prague 10 - Vršovice
Kostel Sv. Norberta
Church of St Norbert   Prague 6 - Střešovice
Kostel Sv. Pankráce
Church of St Pancras   Prague 4 - Nusle
Kostel Sv. Petra a Pavla
Church of Ss Peter & Paul   Prague 2 - Vyšehrad
Kostel Sv. Petra na Poříči
Church of St Peter at Poříčí   Prague 1 - Nové Město
Kostel Sv. Prokopa
Church of St Prokop   Prague 4 - Braník
Kostel Sv. Prokopa v Dalejích
Church of St Prokop   Prague 5 - Jinonice
Kostel Sv. Prokopa
Church of St Prokop   Prague 3 - Žižkov
Kaple Sv. Rocha
Chapel of St Roch   Prague 3 - Žižkov
Kostel Sv. Salvátora (v Klementinu)
Church of the Holy Saviour (in the Clementinum)   Prague 1 - Staré Město
Kostel Sv. Šimona a Judy
Prague 1 - Staré Město
Kostel Sv. Štěpána
Church of St Stephen   Prague 2 - Nové Město
Kostel Sv. Tomáše
Church of St Thomas   Prague 1 - Malá Strana
Kostel Sv. Václava
Church of St Wenceslas (Prosek)   Prague 9 - Prosek
Kostel Sv. Václava
Church of St Wenceslas (Smíchov)   Prague 5 - Smíchov
Kostel Sv. Václava
Church of St Wenceslas (Vršovice)   Prague 10 - Vršovice
Kostel Sv. Václava na Zderaze
Church of St Wenceslas on Zderaza   Prague 2 - Nové Město
Kostel Sv. Vavřince
Church of St Vavrinec   Prague 5 - Jinonice
Chrám Sv. Víta
Cathedral Church of St Vitus   Prague 1 - Hradčany
Kostel Sv. Vojtěcha (v Jirchářích)
Church of St Adalbert   Prague 1 - Nové Město
Kostel Všech Svatých
All Saints' Church   Prague 1 - Hradčany
Novoměstská  Radnice
New Town Hall   Prague 1 - Nové Město
Staroměstská Radnice
Old Town Hall   Prague 1 - Staré Město

Also from the Lovesguide Series:

Church Bells of Kent Church Bells of the City of London Church Bells of the
City of Westminster

Launched June 2010 - Last updated 27 May 2010