| Tyn Church (Tınskı chrám), or Church of Our Lady Before Tyn, dominates one side of Old Town Square. The twin towers of this powerful-looking Gothic church, which features Baroque furnishings and rises to 80 meters, dominate one side of Old Town Square and can be seen from all over Prague. Tın Church was founded in 1385 as the main church of the Old Town, replacing earlier Romanesque and early Gothic structures. In the 15th century, Tın Church came under the control of the Hussites. This was a tumultuous period in the Czech lands, during which Hussites were persecuted by the ruling Roman Catholics. Eventually, the Catholic Jesuits took control of the church, recast its bell, and replaced the Hussite symbol of the chalice with a large statue of the Virgin Mary nailed between the towers. The chalice was melted down to form the halo around her head. In 1679, a fire in the church led to the interior being reworked in the Baroque style, and a vaulted main aisle was added. The church is endowed with an extensive gallery of Gothic, Renaissance and early Baroque works, most notable of which are the altar paintings by Karel Skreta. The tomb of the famous astronomer Tycho Brahe can also been seen. In Old Town Square, stand and face Tyn Church, and it soon becomes evident that the mighty twin towers are not symmetrical. One, Adam, is larger than the other, Eve. This representation of the masculine and feminine sides of the world is characteristic of Gothic architecture of the period. Legend has it that the Tyn Church towers gave Walt Disney the inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty Castle. True or not, the church is an awe-inspiring sight, even more so at night when powerful lights illuminate it against the dark night sky. The organ at Tyn Church dates from 1673 and is the oldest in Prague. Tyn Church has regular Roman Catholic church services. It also occasionally hosts classical concerts, during which the organ is played by expert musicians. In winter, Tyn Church is heated, but it is still advisable to wear warm clothing for concerts. View listings and book concert tickets. -----------------------------------------------
To discover more about Prague churches, take a Prague tour. | 
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