Basilica of Saint Margaret

The Basilica of Saint Margaret stands at the heart of the oldest male monastery in Bohemia, in Prague's quiet Břevnov district. Founded in 993, the Benedictine complex grew over the centuries into the white, onion-domed landmark visitors see today, its Baroque walls rising above monastery gardens while a much older foundation lies hidden beneath the floor.

How old is Břevnov Monastery, and who founded it?

Duke Boleslaus II and Bishop Adalbert founded the monastery on 14 January 993, making it the oldest male monastery on Czech soil. Legend holds that both men had the same dream on the same night, instructing them to build a Benedictine abbey beside the spring of the Brusnice stream — and that they duly met at the very spot shown to them. The full name of the foundation, the Archabbey of St. Adalbert and St. Margaret, honors both the bishop who helped establish it and the saint to whom its main church is dedicated. The church itself was originally consecrated to St. Adalbert before the dedication to St. Margaret became the one commonly used today.

Why does the basilica look Baroque rather than medieval?

The building visitors see now is the result of a major reconstruction carried out between 1708 and 1745. Christoph Dientzenhofer, one of Bohemia's leading Baroque architects, designed the new basilica, and his son Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer carried the work forward — a father-and-son partnership that shaped much of eighteenth-century Prague. Construction of the basilica was completed in 1740. Its white tower with an onion dome has since become a recognizable landmark of the whole Břevnov district.

What can visitors see inside?

The vaulted ceiling is covered with frescoes by Johann Jakob Steinfels, painted between 1719 and 1721, depicting scenes from the life of St. Adalbert, the church's original patron. The side altars hold paintings by Petr Brandl, one of the foremost painters of Bohemian Baroque, created between 1715 and 1719; among them are depictions of St. Adalbert, St. Benedict, and the assassination of St. Wenceslas. Statues of Benedictine saints flanking the side altars were carved by Matouš Václav Jäckel. Together they form a coherent Baroque program tied to the history of the order and of Bohemian Christianity.

What is hidden in the crypt beneath the church?

Archaeological research under the presbytery uncovered the foundations of a three-nave Romanesque basilica dating to the mid-11th century — the oldest surviving part of the entire monastery complex, predating even the current Baroque building by centuries. The crypt can be visited as part of a guided tour, offering a direct look at the remains of the original, pre-Romanesque church built almost a thousand years ago.

What is the basilica's current status?

In 1948, Pope Pius XII granted the church the title of minor basilica — the first church in Prague to receive this honor, confirming its exceptional historical and spiritual significance.

Frequently asked questions

When was Břevnov Monastery founded? In 993, by Duke Boleslaus II and Bishop Adalbert — making it the oldest male monastery in Bohemia.

Who designed the current basilica? Christoph Dientzenhofer designed the Baroque reconstruction, continued by his son Kilian Ignaz; construction finished in 1740.

What's worth seeing inside? Frescoes by Johann Jakob Steinfels, altar paintings by Petr Brandl, and statues by Matouš Václav Jäckel.

Can you visit the crypt? Yes, on a guided tour — it contains the foundations of an 11th-century Romanesque church.

What status does the church hold today? Since 1948 it has carried the title of minor basilica, granted by Pope Pius XII.