St. James´ Christmas

Date:	December 26, 2025 \| 16:00 (Fri)
Venue:	St. James Basilica
Duration:	60 minutes
Intermission:	No
Status:	Available
Reviews:	(3)

Buy ticket
Group discount 10+ people
Ticket in your mobile device accepted

Visit a Christmas music concert in the spiritual center of Prague on Boxing Day

Program:

J. S. Bach, A. Vivaldi, G. F. Händel
Czech pastorels
J. Kř. Kuchař, J. J. Ryba, J. I. Linek
European carols

Performing:

Jana Koucká - soprano
Gabriela Krčková - oboe
Kateřina Jansová - flute
Irena Chřibková - organ

About organ:

The St. James´s organ is the largest organ in Prague, and the Czech Republic. The two-manual organ with a pedal keyboard and 26 stops was completed in 1705 by Abraham Stark of Loket.

The organ´s case, which is still admired today, was quite unique in its time. So far the latest major reconstruction was carried out between 1981 and 1982 by "Varhany Krnov" (Rieger-Kloss). At present the organ has four manuals, 91 speaking stops and 8,277 pipes.

More information about organ

Important:

No assigned seating, seating on first come – first served basis
We recommend arriving at the venue 30 min. prior to the start of the performance
No intermission
Dress code: casual
Program subject to change

Famous musicals in Prague

Venue photo gallery

St. James Basilica

Address:	Malá Štupartská 6 , Praha 1
Capacity:	230
Type:	Church
Winter heating:	No
Wheelchair access:	Yes

St. James Basilica is renowned for its organ concerts and festivals

The impressive interior of the St. James Basilica is a treasury of Baroque art. Since the 13th century, St. James Basilica belonging to the Franciscan order has been an important spiritual center of Prague. It has been also a stop on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Throughout history, the church was spared from destruction by butchers' guild who had their meat market close by.

Of many legends related to the church the most famous is the legend of a thief whose severed hand of sin is still hanging on a chain in the church.

The origin of St. James' large organ dates to the very beginning of the 18th century. After a major fire in 1689, a new organ was built by Abraham Stark of Loket, who had by then already produced several organs for various localities in Bohemia. The new two-manual organ was completed in 1705. The organ´s case, which is still admired today, was also unique for its time.

In 1941, the organ was enlargened and the Romantic disposition was added to original Baroque one. The latest reconstruction was completed in 1982 by „Varhany Krnov“ (Rieger-Kloss). All of Stark’s original voices, mostly including original pipes, were preserved, as well as many interesting Romantic tone-colours. At present the organ has four manuals, 91 speaking stops and 8,277 pipes.

See the detailed information about the organ.

Did you know?

The monastery of St James is one of the stops on the Way of St James to Santiago de Compostela. In 1974, Pope Paul VI awarded the church of St. James the honourable title of Basilica Minor.

How to get there:

Accessibility by public transport:
metro B (yellow line) - Náměstí Republiky station
tram - Náměstí Republiky stop
Nearest car parking:
underground of Kotva Shopping Centre or Palladium Parking, Prague 1

Overall rating:

Sylva Krebnerová | December 26, 2024 | 16:00 (Thu)

Anne Marie Bitaud | December 26, 2024 | 16:00 (Thu)

Belle prestation - nous avons passé un très bon moment

Dana Králíková | December 26, 2024 | 16:00 (Thu)

Dobrý den, každoročně navštěvujeme 26. 12. vánoční konzert v bazilice Sv. Jakuba. Jsem zvyklí na uměleckou úroveň spočívající ve varhanní hudbě kvalitně přednesné, nesené se ve vánoční atmosféře s úvodním přivítáním a popřáním. Letošní konzert, dá-li se to tak nazvat, byl neprofesionální, bez atmoféry Vánoc, přednes koled a pastorel odpovídal projevu amatérů s nekvalitním, disharmonickým zpěvním projevem a teatrálními úklonami, vyžadující potlesk po každém ukončeném zpěvu, a to vše v centru baziliky. O dalších hrůzných zážitcích se již nebudu zmiňovat, jako např. rušivé umístění stojanu pro záznam přednesu vystoupení, atd. Provedení varhanní hudby též neodpovídalo zážitkům z minulých let. V případě, že se příští vánoční konzerty budou opakovat v této hrozné atmosféře, nechci je již nikdy a nikde, natož v této bazilice, zažít v podání pěveckého uskupení Orfeus. Letošní atmosféru ukončení Vánoc, na což jsme se dosud velmi těšili v minulých letech, nám tento konzert definitivně zkazil, a to zřejmě nejen nám, ale i dalším, kteří v průběhu akce odcházeli Cena vstupenek za cca 500Kč/os. zdaleka neodpovídala provedené kvalitě. S pozdravem a již nikdy Králíkovi