What a glorious day to visit the Brevnov Monastery. Did you know that the Brevnov Monastery was the first friary in Bohemia? Nor did I! And that's why I think today is a great day to take a trip on the #22 tram and head on over to "Brevnovsky klaster." (You can also take the 15 or 25 tram...also get off at Brevnovsky klaster.
"Klaster" is the word used for monastery in most central European languages, which means closed place. Monasteries were formerly, or at least partially, closed to the public. In Brevnov, this area was the monks quarters and garden, but nowadays it's open to the public.
This is interesting...the monastery's name is derived from a Czech expression for rough-hewn timbers. They lay scattered around the place of the monastery and were used for foundations of a village nearby, which suggests that you are reading about one of the oldest inhabited parts of Prague!
The monastery was rebuilt several times due to fire, but also because of plundering and looting during the Hussite and the Thirty Years’ Wars, as well as during the famous battle of White Mountain, which was situated nearby.
The current monastery is from 18th century and represents baroque style. During the communist era (1948-1989), Brevnov monastery was used as a headquarter for the secret police. There were no monks there at that time and they couldn’t work elsewhere because Benedict order requires community, which during those times was impossible. Benedictine monks returned to the Brevnov Monastery in the 1990s and restored the buildings.
There are 13 monks at the moment in Brevnov monastery, and each of them works according to their abilities. The main occupations are tourism and some publishing.
The gateway at the entrance was built in 1740 and it is adorned with sculptures of St. Benedicte and angels by K. J. Hiernle. The gateway will lead you to the courtyard where St. Margaret Basilica is located.
The Church of St. Margaret is spectacular. St. Margaret Basilica was built between 1708 and 1735. There is a high altar with paintings by Petr Brandl and the ceiling is decorated with frescoes.
It's interesting to note that this is the very first church in Prague to have received the honorary title Basilica Minor from the Pope.
Marketska Street 28, Prague 6. Tram number 15, 22 or 25 to station Brevnovsky klaster.
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