Capuchin Monastery in Hradčany, Prague

The Capuchin Monastery in Hradčany, Prague, stands at the northern end of Loretánské náměstí (Loreto Square), directly next to the famous Prague Loreto, to which it is physically connected. It is the oldest Capuchin monastery in the Czech lands, with a history stretching back to the start of the 17th century, and it remains an active friary today.

When was the monastery founded?

The monastery's foundation was set in motion in 1600 by Lawrence of Brindisi, the general of the Capuchin order at the time, who was later canonized as a saint. Construction of the full monastic complex was not the work of a single generation — building continued throughout the 17th century and into the first half of the 18th century, gradually adding wings and monastic rooms to the site.

What does the monastery complex include?

At the heart of the complex stands the Church of the Virgin Mary of the Angels, the first church the Capuchins built on Czech soil. The monastery is linked to the neighboring Loreto by a covered corridor resting on pillars, and it is the Capuchins who have long administered that well-known pilgrimage site. Because of this connection, the two buildings are best understood — and visited — as a single religious complex on Loreto Square.

What makes the monastery's nativity scene notable?

Praguers have a particular fondness for the monastery and its church because of an elaborate nativity scene dating from 1780. It consists of 48 life-size figures, on which the Capuchin brother Caspar worked for ten years. It ranks among the most extensive historical nativity scenes in the Czech Republic and remains a draw for visitors, especially around the Christmas season.

How did the monastery's history unfold in the 20th century?

The monastery's recent history was far from peaceful. During the Second World War, the German SS set up a prison within the monastery buildings, interrupting the community's normal religious life there for years. The Capuchin friars did not return to the Hradčany monastery until 1990, after the fall of the communist regime, and with their return they also resumed responsibility for managing the adjoining Loreto.

Where exactly is the monastery located?

The monastery sits in Hradčany, in Prague 1, at the northern end of Loreto Square, directly beside the Loreto and within easy walking distance of Prague Castle and Hradčany Square. This puts it among the cluster of major religious landmarks on the right bank of the Vltava, making it simple to fold into a visit to Prague's castle hill.

Frequently asked questions

Can the Capuchin Monastery be visited together with the Loreto? Yes — the two sites are physically joined by a covered corridor, and the Loreto has long been administered by the Capuchins from the neighboring monastery.

What is the monastery's most distinctive feature? Its historic 1780 nativity scene, made up of 48 life-size figures carved by Brother Caspar.

Is this the oldest Capuchin monastery in the Czech Republic? Yes, founded in 1600, the Hradčany monastery is the oldest Capuchin monastery in the Czech lands.

What happened at the monastery during the Second World War? The German SS turned the monastery buildings into a prison; the friars only resumed normal life there in 1990.