Kaple svatého Františka z Assisi

The Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi stands in Olomouc, on the corner of Mariánská Street and Biskupské náměstí (Bishop's Square), right in the historic heart of the city, a short walk from the Archbishop's Palace and the main náměstí Republiky square.

Where exactly is it?

The chapel belongs to the convent of the Merciful Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis. The building occupies the corner where Mariánská Street meets Bishop's Square, sitting neatly between náměstí Republiky and the Archbishop's Palace — an easy stop to fold into a walk through Olomouc's historic centre, one of the best-preserved old town cores in Moravia.

What's the story behind the chapel and convent?

The story starts in 1857, when Archbishop Bedřich Fürstenberk of Olomouc invited the Merciful Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis to the city to work as nurses in the municipal hospital and to run a church-affiliated orphanage. In 1884 the congregation acquired a house on Mariánská Street, and builder Franz Langer designed a chapel for the sisters in pseudo-Romanesque style. The chapel was consecrated in 1898. Further renovations followed in 1909 and 1929.

The convent's postwar history was far from quiet: in 1957 the communist authorities forced the sisters to halt their activities, and the building went unused for its original purpose for decades. Only after 1990 could the congregation return to Olomouc; the convent was restored, and by the late 1990s around ten sisters were living there again. Today the building holds protected cultural monument status.

What does the chapel look like inside and out?

The façade is built from light-coloured stone blocks, decorated with multicoloured pilasters and window frames plus an illusionistic garland frieze running beneath the cornices — a typical decorative flourish of late-19th-century sacred architecture. Inside, the layout is single-nave with a polygonal apse. Light enters through tall stained-glass windows, above which sit painted medallions with portraits of saints. The walls are covered with decorative tiles up to window height, giving the interior a distinctive, warm feel. The nave's stained-glass windows depict scenes from St. Francis of Assisi's "Canticle of the Sun" — a motif rarely rendered this literally, in pictorial form, in Central European convent chapels.

Can you go inside?

This matters for anyone planning a visit: the chapel is not open to the public on a regular basis — it remains part of an active convent rather than a sightseeing venue with posted opening hours. Treat it as a stop on an architectural walk through Olomouc's historic centre, viewed from the outside, rather than a site you can book a tour of.

When's the best time to visit?

Since the chapel is mainly viewed from the street, aim for a day with good light — morning or early afternoon — when the façade's pilasters and garland frieze under the cornices show up best. Olomouc gets crowded around the Holy Trinity Column and main square in summer, so a walk over to Bishop's Square tends to be a quieter alternative any time of year.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi open to visitors? No — it stays closed to the public day-to-day, since it's part of an active convent belonging to the Merciful Sisters.

Who designed the chapel? Builder Franz Langer designed it in pseudo-Romanesque style; it was consecrated in 1898.

What else is worth seeing nearby? The chapel sits close to the Archbishop's Palace and náměstí Republiky, so it's easy to combine with a walk through Olomouc's historic centre.

Is the building a protected monument? Yes, the convent and chapel are listed as a protected cultural monument and are described as well preserved.