About this place
The Church of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Na Slupi is a modest but well-composed Baroque church in Prague's New Town, standing on the street called Na Slupi, right next to the Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Science of Charles University. The church forms part of a former Elizabethine convent complex together with St. Elizabeth's Hospital, and it still belongs to that religious order today.
Where does the name come from and who is the church dedicated to?
The dedication refers to Our Lady of Seven Sorrows (Panna Marie Sedmibolestná), a Marian devotion popular in Bohemia that commemorates the seven sorrows of Mary. The addition "Na Slupi" simply names the street in the historic New Town district where the building stands.
How did the site's history begin?
Before today's church existed, a chapel already stood on the same spot. It was founded in 1679 by Bishop Jan Dlouhoveský as part of a residence for retired priests, and it was consecrated on 22 June 1681 in honor of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows. The retirement home for clergy did not stay there long, however: in 1705 it was relocated to a building on today's Resslova street, leaving the site at Na Slupi vacant.
Who built the present-day church?
The vacated property passed to the Elizabethines, a nursing order of religious sisters brought to Prague in 1719 by Countess L. Schönkirchová. Together with other noblewomen, she raised the funds needed to build a new church and convent with an attached hospital. The foundation stone was ceremonially laid on 8 August 1724, and construction moved fast enough that the church could already be consecrated in 1725. The design came from Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer, one of the leading architects of Prague Baroque, responsible for numerous churches across the city.
What does the church's architecture look like?
It is a single-nave, high Baroque church with a small turret set into the façade. Above the front gable rises a tower reaching 31.5 meters, and a niche in the middle of the façade's gable holds a statue of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows, the church's patron. Compared to Prague's grandest Baroque churches, the building is compact and unassuming, yet it still carries Dientzenhofer's characteristic proportions and façade detailing.
The interior and surroundings kept changing for decades after consecration. In 1762 the Chapel of St. Thecla was added to the left of the façade. In 1771 the church received a new pulpit, and in 1779 a new main altar was installed.
What happened to the church in the 20th century?
The building's fate mirrors the turbulent 20th-century history of the Czech lands. In 1949, after the communist regime seized power, the church, its chapel, and the entire convent along with the hospital building were confiscated from the Elizabethine sisters. The order did not get its property back until 1991, following the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia.
What else is worth knowing when visiting the area?
The church sits next to the Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Science, Charles University, located on the very same Na Slupi street. The garden has occupied this site since 1890 (formally opened in 1898) and covers roughly 3.5 hectares, offering walks among rare plant species and greenhouses with subtropical and tropical collections. It makes a natural addition to a visit in this quiet, green corner of the New Town, away from the busiest tourist routes.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Na Slupi church dedicated to? The church is dedicated to Our Lady of Seven Sorrows, as reflected in its full name.
Who designed the church? It was designed by Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer, one of the most important architects of Prague Baroque.
Which order owns the church? The church has been linked to the Elizabethine order from the start and forms part of a former convent complex with St. Elizabeth's Hospital.
Is there anything else worth seeing nearby? Yes — right along the same street stands the Botanical Garden of Charles University, operating since the late 19th century.
How tall is the church tower? The tower above the façade reaches a height of 31.5 meters.
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