Convent of Saint Agnes in Prague

The convent of Saint Agnes is situated on the right bank of Vltava, in Prague Old Town area called „Na Františku“. The monastery of Poor Clares of the Order of Saint Clare and Franciscans was founded in 1231 by Agnes of Bohemia, who also became the abbess of the convent. The architecture of the convent is influenced by two main factors. Firstly, the foundress of the convent was a royal daughter; therefore she had sufficient financial means and political influence available. Secondly, Agnes was raised in convents, so she knew this lifestyle very well and knew the connections with everyday usage of the buildings. Hence, a generously large convent was built. It was based on an existing structure of the Old Town during a cultural and economic boom, a rise of the Bohemian state and the beginning of the gothic culture in Central Europe. 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.