Convent of Saint Agnes (Prague)

The convent of Saint Agnes (Czech: Anežský klášter) is situated on the right bank of Vltava, in Prague Old Town area called „Na Františku“.

While she was living with the Babenbergs in Vienna after being engaged to Henry VII of Germany, the son of the German emperor, she became familiar with early Gothic architecture.

Agnes was supported by the Pope and her family and via her convent she engaged Bohemia into the latest cleric and cultural flow.

Due to the boom in the growth of cities in the Middle and Western Europe in the 12th and 13th century, the need of care for believers increased and Francis of Assisi founded the Order of Friars Minor, which was based on ethical resurgence and life without material provision, with emphasis on preaching and missionary activity.

[1] Agnes‘ brother, king Wenceslaus I of Bohemia donated the ground on the bank of Vltava river, which was very convenient for a hospital.

One of the oldest parts of the convent of St. Agnes was the main sacred area, the church of St. Francis,[2] which was built without presbytery at first.

The male section was built during the second period - a monastery and a chapel of Saint Barbara connected with an aisle of the church of St. Francis.

[4] Agnes started a construction of a mausoleum after her brother’s death in 1253, and her nephew Ottokar II of Bohemia was crowned a Bohemian King in 1261.

Due to the time of famine and anarchy after Ottokar’s death, during reign of King Wenceslaus II, Agnes passed her experiences on Kunigunde.

One of the best-made details is a tall portal on the southern wall of the presbytery with a full tympanon, where original red and blue polychromy is very well preserved.

With the House of Habsburg on the throne, Dominicans came to the female section of the convent and sold out the male one, so that this part of the town developed.

The setup of the buildings shows the influence of Burgundian Cistercian architecture which was common in Central Europe mainly before the mid 13th century.

Since the tectonic rules of Franciscan architecture were not accurately defined at that time, mixing of romance and gothic elements is noticeable during first construction period, especially in the church of St Francis[5] On the first floor there is an entrance to the permanent exhibition of National Gallery on the left and on the right there is a way in to the cloister, where other parts of the convent are accessible from.

According to the regulations, Poor Clares could not meet the public at any time, thus a special area, where they could listen to the mass separated and undisturbed, was needed.

As a proof to the platform, there is a portal in the northern wall and a large window to the presbytery, located in the area of the triumphal arch.

According to the Order’s rules, it was open only to the Friars Minors, so it was connected to the male part of the convent with the southern wall, where an altar was placed.

Different Mason’s marks are visible in the newly built presbytery of st Francis, which show a new stonemasonry coming to Prague during this period of construction.

The vault bays were separated by round supports with capitals from which ribs with a pear cross section continued to a key stone with a floral decor.

A multi-leveled building with three vault bays was connected to the northern wall of the presbytery; however, it was very soon rebuilt into the chapel of Virgin Mary.

There was a chapel with a brick vault without ribs and an altar in the eastern area on the ground floor of Agnes’ dwelling.

The cloister of Poor Clares was built during the second construction period and in contrary to the initial plan it consists of six vault bays in each wing instead of eight.

The church being dedicated to Christ the Redeemer is an attempt of the Přemyslid dynasty to support the power of its own kin and a follow-up of Carolingian Renaissance.

Few symbols of Christ’s resurrection could be found: five-pointed stars in traceries of windows in the end or lilies with five leaves under Agnes‘ portrait.

There is a museum ″Medieval Art in Bohemia and Central Europe 1200⁠–⁠1550″ in the first floor which is part of the National Gallery Prague.