Brevnov Monastery Prague

Visit this historical monument to view the baroque style at its best. Situated away from the frequented tourist path, this monastery sits in a calm, forested area, just at the edge of the town. Founded in 993 AD by Prince Boleslav II and Saint Adalbert, the Brevnov Monastery is the oldest in Bohemia and is still inhabited by monks. Today's places of interest at the location include St. Margaret Church, convent and prelate house from 1708 – 1745. Interestingly, the original church held a ground for suspicious looking foreigners detained by the Ministry of Interior. Today, just the remnants of the church stand below the monastery. The Brevnov monastery also has the history of having being destroyed many times in wartime. For instance, the famous battle of White Mountain was very near the monastery. Also the secret police used the monastery as their headquarter during the communist era (1948-1989). Today's monastery houses 13 monks in all. Each one of them follows an occupation as per their abilities. The main ones include tourism and publishing. The excavations in 1969 revealed the old Romanesque crypt underneath the current church and some stable buildings. The crypt is open for public but stables were covered again with earth to ensure better preservation. The monastery still offers guided tours on weekends, though these can be arranged ahead of time in the weekdays as well.