The Convent of St. Agnes of Bohemia

Founded by Princess Agnes of the Premyslid dynasty in 1231, the Convent of St. Agnes of Bohemia is the oldest Gothic building in Prague and was used by the Order of Saint Clare, also known as the Order of Poor Ladies (the second Franciscan order established, founded by St. Clare and St. Francis of Assisi in 1212). The convent was influential as a spiritual center in Prague and also was used as the burial spot for the Premyslids. The Dominicans took over in the 16th century and resided there for 70 years, after which the convent was shut down. The building was then used for housing the poor and storage space. This wondrous Gothic structure narrowly escaped demolition in the 19th century when historic synagogues and homes were destroyed in the Old Town and Jewish Quarter slum clearance, due to the success of the Union for the Renewal of the Convent of the Blessed Agnes. The National Gallery renovated the structure in 1963, the convent displays medieval art from Bohemia and Central Europe.

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