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St Agnes’s Convent

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The 13th-century Convent of St Agnes of Bohemia (Klášter sv. Anežky ) is an impressive Gothic building, closely tied to Czech statehood. Daughter of Přemysl Otakar I, Princess Agnes chose a spiritual life and founded a convent here in 1234 for the Poor Clares, an order of nuns associated with the Order of St Francis. But it was Agnes’s diplomatic skills and work in establishing the convent which raised Bohemia in the eyes of Rome, as much as any courtly efforts to do the same. Restored in the 1960s to its original splendour, the convent is now used by the National Gallery to exhibit its collection of medieval and early Renaissance art.

Top 10 Works of Art

1. Strakonice Madonna

1. Strakonice Madonna

This larger-than-life, 700-year-old statue of the Virgin and Child is the Czech National Gallery’s most prized possession. The gestures of the Madonna are strikingly rigid, and evoke the Classical French sculpture found in places such as Reims Cathedral.
2. Zbraslav Madonna

Bohemia’s most celebrated Marian painting is evocative of Byzantine icons in its style. The ring on the Madonna’s left-hand finger symbolizes the Church through the mystical marriage between Christ and the Virgin Mary. The work has been moved to St Agnes’s Convent from a Cistercian monastery where the majority of the Přemyslid kings were laid to rest.
3. Vyšší Brod Altarpiece

3. Vyšší Brod Altarpiece

The 14th-century cycle begins with the Annunciation , then proceeds through the Adoration of the Magi to Pentecost . The creator of these beautiful panels is unknown.
4. Works of Master Theodoricus

Parts of an altar set on loan from Karlštejn Castle, are St Luke , St Charlemagne , St Catherine , St Matthew , St Ambrose and St Gregory .
5. Třeboň Altarpiece

5. Třeboň Altarpiece

Only three of the five double-sided panels of the 14th-century Třebon Altar-piece have survived to the present day.
6. Capuchin Cycle

The origin of these 14 panels is unknown. The Virgin Mary is flanked by St Peter on the left and Christ on the right.
7. Velhartice Altarpiece

7. Velhartice Altarpiece

Originating in south Bohemia around 1500, this is a rare example of a completely preserved altar. Beneath the Madonna, cherubs hold the vera icon.
8. Martyrdom of St Florian

Albrecht Altdorfer created this painting as part of a multipanel altar featuring scenes from the legend of St Florian. Other pieces from the series are in Florence.
9. Puchner Altarpiece

St Agnes gave up a life at court to pursue a spiritual vocation. She is typically depicted nursing the sick on this 15th-century altarpiece.
10. Apocalypse Cycle

10. Apocalypse Cycle

Although he’s considered the foremost German Renaissance artist, Albrecht Dürer is probably best known for woodcuts such as this series of 15 from 1498, which retain a strong Gothic flavour.

Practical Information

With the exception of short-term exhibitions, the ground floor of the convent building is empty, but frequent chamber music concerts give visitors the opportunity to appreciate the pure Gothic spaces. U milosrdných 17 224 810628 www.ngprague.cz Open 10am–6pm Tue–Sun Dis. access Adm Kč100