163. St, Nichols in the Old Totem, deta 164, Se Nicholai the Old Toven interes makes it dissolve vertically. The hori zontal integrition is moreover empka- ized by the introduction of small, ally placed elements in the i= forium and clerestory, which make the bays unite in a continuous. undul movement. The space is characte by a strong contrast between the “massive” arcade and the de-material- ized upper wall and vault, and. in general by an expressive interplay of horizontal and vertical “forces”. We se thus how a generally valid building- type has been modified to suit the genius loci. The san find a still more Original and mature interpretation in the Vladislav Hall in the Hradéany by Benedikt Ried (1493-1502)"*. Here the interior consists of an integrated series of baldachins which are closed off erally by massive walls. Two systems fe thus combined: the earch-bound 0x" made up by the walls, and the de-materialized “heavenly” “net-vault which seems to hover over the space. The theme of the Vladislav Hall reap- pears in the most significont Baroque buildings of Prague. The “syncopated” space of St, Nicholas in the Small Town is set-into-work by means of an integrated series of baldachins, and the same solution is used in the church of the Biernoy Monastery by Christoph Dientzenhofer.(1709-15)!%. In the latter building curved arches span. diagonally across the space from wall-pillars (Wandpjeiler) which are set against the heutral surface of the massive outer all. The basic properties of the Vla- dishy Hall and the churches of Chris toph Dientzenhofer are thus the same, and the intention is obviously co make 4 particular relationship berween earth ard sky manifest, The exterior of Bievnov is also. a typical. specimen. of Prague architecture; a lonic Order rises over a continuous base, and a row of 103 165. The Kiasky Palace on the Old Town Square by KL Dienteonboler und A. Lanago, Taal i i u i i i | i | | i i 1 1 | ts ta tA is |e [ 1 E I 1 = ie [ 1s s La 2 4166. ‘The Brevnow eherch by C. Dientzenbofer. bles. create a dormers and bulging serrate silhouect. ‘The intentions of Christoph Dientzen- hofer found their continuation in the works oF his son, Kilian Ignaz, who may be considered the Prague architect por excellence! His most characteristic cchureh in Prague is Se. John on. the Rock (1730-39). In no other building is the plastic dynamism and dramatic quality so dear to Bohemia expressed swith more ability. The church's position on a rock accentuates the effect, and the staircase in front enhances the vertical moxement of the facade, The plan may be described as a “reduced mulelateral system of baldachins”. On the longi tudinal axis of the central octagon with internally convex sides, transverse ovals are added, creating a “pulsating spatial organism’ which is enclosed with- in the kind of continuous, neuteal walls we have encountered in the Vladislav Hall and Bfevnov. In Se. John, however, the plastic form of the exterior core responds to the interior orga ‘The outer walls are * the baldachins, a present inthe urban environment. At the same time the walls seem co give in to the pressure of external “forces” Ouside and inside thus interact dy namically, and the church becomes a true gathering focus. The interplay of horizontal and_ vertical movements’ is also expressed with unique convietion. Our discussion of the character of the architecture of Prague has implied that the styles of the various epochs. were transformed «0 fit the genius loci. The logical structure of High Gothic ar- chitecture was changed by Peter Parler to express the local horizontal-vertical dichotomy. In St. Vitus we cannot any more distinguish the different. shafis which “carry” arches and vaules, and in the Old Town bridge-tower by the same Parler (alter 1375) the Gothie elements 104167. The Bicone» church, interior 105