Kaple svaté Máří Magdaleny pod Letnou

The Chapel of Saint Mary Magdalene below Letná is a small, oval-shaped chapel from the mid-17th century, standing on the Edvard Beneš embankment in Prague's Holešovice district, just steps from the Čech Bridge. At first glance it looks like a modest piece of church architecture tucked into a riverside park — but it holds one of the more unusual stories among Prague's historic buildings: in 1956 the entire structure was physically moved more than 30 metres, in what was the first building relocation of its kind in Czechoslovak history.

When was the chapel built, and by whom?

The chapel was built in 1635 on the initiative of the abbot of a nearby monastery, on land that had previously served as the monastery's vineyard at the foot of Letná hill. Its design is credited to the Italian architect Giovanni Battista de Barrifis, one of many artists from the Italian peninsula working in Prague at the time. The building was given a compact, single-storey, early Baroque form — round in plan, with a small dome, a slender turret and modest windows, closer in feel to an intimate garden chapel than a grand church.

What did the chapel live through over nearly four centuries?

The building's history has been anything but quiet. Toward the end of the Thirty Years' War, in 1648, it was occupied by Swedish troops, who used it as a position to fire on Prague students defending the Old Town. In 1783, Emperor Joseph II dissolved the neighbouring monastery, and the chapel was deconsecrated along with it, losing its religious function for well over a century. During that time it served in turn as a wood store, a goat shed kept by the manager of a nearby public bathing area, a pigeon loft and a sheep pen. Only in 1908 did the city of Prague acquire the building, have it cleaned and restored, and lease it to the Old Catholic Church — the congregation that has used it continuously ever since, longer than any other Prague church in its care.

Why was the chapel moved 30 metres?

The most remarkable chapter in the chapel's history unfolded in the early 1950s. Planned reconstruction work around Čech Bridge put the chapel directly in the path of the new road, and it faced demolition. Instead, engineers opted for a bold solution: the entire masonry structure was moved as a single unit nearly 31 metres upstream along the Vltava. The operation, carried out over 3–4 February 1956 under the direction of engineer Stanislav Bechyně, was the first time an entire building had been relocated in Czechoslovak history. Since then, the chapel has stood on a massive stone-faced plinth above the riverbank, in the spot where visitors find it today.

What is inside worth seeing?

The interior still holds decoration dating back to the chapel's founding: wall frescoes depicting biblical plants, along with a striking stuccoed ceiling. It is a rare case of interior decoration that survived not only the building's long stretch of secular, non-religious use, but also the physical relocation of the entire structure to a new site.

Can visitors go inside?

The chapel remains an active place of worship for the Old Catholic Church. Services are held every Sunday at 10:00, and this is the main window during which the chapel opens its doors to visitors. It is also occasionally opened to the public during the annual Night of Churches event, outside its regular service hours.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the chapel located? On the Edvard Beneš embankment in Holešovice, right next to Čech Bridge — a narrow strip of the surrounding land is still administratively part of Prague 1.

Who designed the chapel? The Italian architect Giovanni Battista de Barrifis, in 1635.

Why was the chapel relocated? It stood in the way of planned reconstruction work around Čech Bridge, so in 1956 it was moved as a whole, about 31 metres, rather than demolished.

Can you go inside? Yes, during Sunday services at 10:00 held by the Old Catholic Church, and during the annual Night of Churches event.