Church of Our Lady before Týn

If you are in the Old Town of Prague, it is not possible to miss this church for its intricate spires on the twin towers. Even though the Týn School has blocked most of the front facade of the church, the spiky roofs of the towers never fail to lure the attention of the visitors to the eastern side of Old Town Square.

The church as we see it today has been completed 500 years ago, but it has undergone several times of repair and renovation works. As you can see, there is still some minor restoration work going on during my visit in June this year.

If you approach the church from Týn Courtyard, of which the church adopted its name, this is the view of the church that you'll see. The spires on the twin towers still dominate your attention to the church.

A closer look at the spires reveal the stars on them, but the spire at the centre of the church is the only one topped with a double cross.

Outside the north portal, above the double-leaf door, is a copy of the 14^th-century tympanum showing the Crucifixion. The original carving was done by the workshop of Peter Parler, King Charles IV's favourite architect.