Klášter a nemocnice alžbětinek Na Slupi

Klášter a nemocnice alžbětinek Na Slupi (Convent and Hospital of the Elizabethan Sisters Na Slupi) is a Baroque complex of convent and hospital buildings in Prague, on Na Slupi street, between the New Town and Vyšehrad hill. It combines a history of charitable care going back to the 17th century with a religious order that is still active on the site today.

How did this site begin?

The earliest charitable institutions on this spot date back to the second half of the 17th century. In the early 1670s, Prague's suffragan bishop Jan Ignác Dlouhoveský acquired a plot here that included a medieval house and a vineyard. In 1679 he had a house built for retired priests, together with a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows – the same dedication later given to the church and the whole complex.

When was the convent of the Elizabethan Sisters founded?

The convent itself was established in 1719 as a branch of the Vienna convent of Saint Elizabeth. Two nuns, Angelika and Johanna, were sent from Vienna to Prague to found it. The push to expand the site came from a group of noblewomen from the Thun, Černín and Waldstein families, who, after a serious plague epidemic in the early 18th century, decided to fund a hospital for women and bring in Elizabethan sisters from Vienna to care for the sick.

Who designed the complex?

The extensive Baroque ensemble of convent and hospital buildings was designed by architect Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer, one of the leading figures of Prague Baroque architecture, also responsible for numerous churches and palaces across the city. The hospital attached to the convent opened in 1722.

How did the hospital's role change over time?

The institution reached its greatest period of growth in the 1930s, when it was modernized and became a notable scientific and teaching facility. After the end of World War II, the hospital was nationalized and the nuns were gradually replaced by trained lay nursing staff. The sisters were ultimately forced to leave the convent on September 3, 1957.

What happened to the convent after 1989?

Following the fall of communism, the complex was returned to the order of Elizabethan sisters through restitution claims. In 1993, a new entity was established – the Hospital of the Merciful Sisters of St. Elizabeth Na Slupi – providing medical care focused mainly on follow-up and convalescent treatment for patients.

Why is this site worth visiting?

Na Slupi is an unusual example of a place where the original purpose – care for the sick run by a female religious order – survived, with an interruption during the communist era, into the present day. Dientzenhofer's Baroque architecture, the chapel and church of Our Lady of Sorrows, and a history spanning three centuries make it an interesting stop for anyone interested in Prague's history, sacred architecture, or the history of healthcare in the Czech lands.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Klášter alžbětinek Na Slupi located? In Prague, on Na Slupi street, between the New Town and Vyšehrad hill.

When was the convent founded? In 1719, as a branch of the Vienna convent of Saint Elizabeth.

Who designed the buildings? Baroque architect Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer.

Are the Elizabethan sisters still active there today? After nationalization in the postwar period and the nuns' expulsion in 1957, the complex was returned to the order through restitution after 1989, and in 1993 a new hospital entity run by the sisters was established.

What does the hospital at the convent focus on today? Medical care centered mainly on follow-up and convalescent treatment.