The Infant Jesus of Prague is one of the symbols of Prague, and many tourists come to the city specifically to see this statue with their own eyes and pray before it. If you, too, wish to stand face to face with the Infant Jesus, you can easily visit him in Prague. In this article, you’ll learn everything you might want to know about visiting the Infant Jesus of Prague.
Infant Jesus of Prague Location
The Infant Jesus of Prague is currently on display at the Church of Our Lady Victorious in Malá Strana. It is easily accessible from most major tourist sites. In addition to the church, the complex also includes a museum, a visitor center, and restrooms open to the public.
Church of Our Lady Victorious
As mentioned above, the Infant Jesus of Prague is on display at the Church of Our Lady Victorious. This Carmelite church is open to the public, and you can visit anytime during the week from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (until 7:00 p.m. on Sundays), except during Mass times.
Masses are also held regularly in the church, which you are welcome to attend. You can find a complete schedule of Masses at this link. Mass in English is held every Thursday at 6:00 PM and every Sunday at 12:00 PM. Mass in Spanish is held every Saturday at 6:00 PM, and Mass in Italian every Sunday at 6:00 PM.
Museum of the Infant Jesus of Prague
You can also visit the Museum of the Infant Jesus of Prague for free; it is accessible directly from the Church of Our Lady Victorious. After entering the church, head to the front of the church; you’ll find the museum on the right side of the altar.
Today, the museum is primarily dedicated to the various outfits of the Infant Jesus of Prague, which were donated by prominent figures. The museum houses over 300 outfits; some were donated by the Pope, others by monarchs from around the world, and one was even donated by the writer Paulo Coelho. A visit can thus be interesting even for non-believers.
Admission to the museum is free. The museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.).
How to get to the Infant Jesus of Prague?
Getting to the Infant Jesus of Prague by public transportation is very easy. Right in front of the Church of Our Lady Victorious, you’ll find the Pražské Jezulátko tram stop. Tourists may find the following tram lines, which stop there, useful:
- Line 22 – in one direction, it goes up to Prague Castle; in the other direction, you can reach, for example, Národní třída or the I. P. Pavlova or Náměstí Míru metro stations
- Line No. 23 – this line also takes you up to Prague Castle and will take you to the Malostranská metro station
About the Infant Jesus of Prague
The Infant Jesus of Prague is one of the city’s most famous religious symbols and is venerated at the Church of Our Lady Victorious in Malá Strana. It is a small statue of the infant Jesus, approximately 48 centimeters tall and carved from wood coated with wax. The figure holds a royal orb with a cross in one hand and blesses with the other, symbolically expressing Christ’s reign over the world.
The statue’s origins likely date back to 16th-century Spain. It arrived in the Czech lands in 1556, when the Spanish noblewoman Marie Manriquez de Lara brought it to Prague after her marriage to the Czech nobleman Vratislav of Pernštejn. She later gave it to her daughter Polyxena of Lobkovice, who grew very fond of the statue and considered it a precious family treasure.
In 1628, Polyxena of Lobkovice donated the statue to the Carmelite monastery at the Church of Our Lady Victorious. The monks placed it in the chapel, where they prayed before it regularly, and gradually a special devotion began to spread around it. According to tradition, they believed that prayers before the Infant Jesus brought help in difficult times and protection to the local inhabitants.
During the Thirty Years’ War, the monastery was plundered and the statue was damaged. It was not until the Carmelites returned that the monk Cyril of the Mother of God rediscovered it; he had it repaired and restored to its original form. From that time on, reports began to spread of answered prayers and unusual events that people associated specifically with the Infant Jesus of Prague.
What to See Near the Infant Jesus of Prague
The Church of Our Lady Victorious is located in the heart of Lesser Town, so it’s just a short walk to other attractions. Right across from the church is the Czech Museum of Music. If you head a short distance south from the church, you’ll arrive directly below Petřín Park. Here you’ll find the remains of the Hunger Wall and the Memorial to the Victims of Communism. From here, you can also climb up to Petřín Hill.
On the other side of the church, you’ll find the beautiful Vrtba Garden and Malostranské Square with the famous St. Nicholas Church. From here, you can continue up the winding streets to Prague Castle or head toward the river in the direction of Kampa Island or Charles Bridge.
