Dominican monastery in Old Town

The Dominican monastery at the Church of St. Giles occupies a corner of Prague's Old Town where medieval preaching, pre-Hussite reform, and Baroque rebuilding all left their mark on the same site. The monastic complex spreads between Husova, Jalovcová, and Jilská streets, and its current form still reflects several distinct building periods.

How did the site's history begin?

A Romanesque church originally stood here, serving a settlement in what later became the western part of the Old Town. From 1238 the church served as the seat of a collegiate chapter, meaning a community of clergy carried out liturgical and scholarly life around it. A Gothic rebuilding of the church took place between 1313 and 1371, and the church of St. Giles was consecrated on 4 May 1371.

Who preached here before the Hussite era?

The site holds real significance for the history of Czech religious reform before the Hussite period. From 1364, Jan Milíč z Kroměříže — one of the leading figures of the pre-Hussite reform movement in Bohemia — preached here in Czech. Saint John of Nepomuk was also connected to the church, serving as a member of its chapter between 1387 and 1388.

When and why did the Dominicans take over the church?

The turning point came on 7 May 1625, when King Ferdinand II handed the church over to the Dominican order. The friars did not stop at the church itself: on the grounds of the former churchyard cemetery and the old parish school, they built an extensive four-wing monastery complex. Construction, which began in 1663, followed plans by the Italian architects Carlo Lurago and Giovanni Domenico Orsi. The monastery took over plots previously occupied by a row of burgher houses, spreading across the area between Husova, Jalovcová, and Jilská streets.

What changed during the 18th-century Baroque remodeling?

The next major building phase came in the 18th century. Baroque remodeling work began in 1731, with architect František Maxmilián Kaňka contributing to the design. The main construction work on the church itself was carried out by the builder František Špaček. Between 1734 and 1735, the interior gained frescoes by Václav Vavřinec Reiner, depicting the apotheosis of the Dominican order along with scenes from the lives of Saint Dominic and Saint Thomas Aquinas, as well as the church's patron, Saint Giles.

Why does this site stand out among Old Town landmarks?

The St. Giles monastery complex layers several distinct eras of Prague's religious architecture in a single site — from its Romanesque and Gothic origins, through a pivotal moment of pre-Hussite preaching, to a Baroque rebuilding with an extensive painted decoration program. It is a rare concentration of several threads of Prague's history in one place, set in the heart of the Old Town near the district's other historic streets.

Frequently asked questions

Since when have the Dominicans administered the Church of St. Giles? Since 7 May 1625, when King Ferdinand II handed the building over to the order.

Who preached at the church before the Dominicans took it over? Jan Milíč z Kroměříže, a leading figure of the pre-Hussite reform movement, preached here in Czech starting in 1364.

When did the church acquire its current Gothic form? The Gothic rebuilding took place between 1313 and 1371, with consecration on 4 May 1371.

Who designed the Dominican monastery complex? The plans came from Italian architects Carlo Lurago and Giovanni Domenico Orsi, with construction starting in 1663.

Who painted the church's frescoes? The frescoes from 1734–1735 were painted by Václav Vavřinec Reiner.