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St. Gabriel´s Convent in Petrin Hill Prague
In the neighbourhood of Petrin Hill parks you will find a fabulous construction – St. Gabriel´s Convent with the church of Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary. From 1891 the building was used by the Benedictine order and nowadays it is occupied by Česká pošta (Czech postal company).
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History
St. Gabriel´s Convent is located in the back of the Kinský Garden. It was founded by the Countess Gabriela Sweerts-Šporková as the first residence of the female Benedictine Beuron convent in Prague. Although she had sponsored the construction she did not live to see its completion. The works started in 1888 and the Convent was later consecrated to Archangel Gabriel. The entire construction and interior decorations were performed by the Beuron Benedictines, namely the construction was carried out by the architects Gislin Bethun and Hildebrant Heptirn.
Benedictine Sisters
The first Benedictine Sisters arrived in 1891 from the ancient abbey in Salzburg. Gradually the nuns from the whole of Europe were coming to the convent. The Benedictine Sisters stayed here until 1919 when they left to Austria. After their departure they sold the convent to the Czechoslovakian Ministry of Post Offices and Telecommunications. However there was one condition – the church had to be used for prayers also in the future.
The Church of Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Part of the complex is made up by the New Romanesque Church of Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary. After its completion the adjacent church was twenty-six meters long and thirteen meters wide. It is composed of two aisles and its view point is a monumental four-cornered three storeyed tower reaching over forty meters high. There is a pyramid on its roof top. Do not forget to take a look at the beautifully decorated portal in its main entrance with the patron saint Gabriel.
There used to be gardens with decorative plants and crops in the convent´s premises. There is still a convent water house to be found which is hard to find due to the full-grown trees and bushes. The water house dates back to 1900 and it still keeps its original appearance. The water was supplied and sold to the convent by the Kinský family.
The convent is not opened to the public and is used as offices.
Address:
St. Gabriel´s Convent
Holečkova street, Praha 5
Transport connection
Bus: 176, 510 – Holečkova station
Tram: 6, 9, 10 16, 58, 59 – Bertramka station (then along Na Čečeličce street and then to the right along Holečkova street, the convent is situated on the left side)
Metro: B – line, Anděl station (then go by tram No. 9, 10, 16 to Bertramka station)
GPS: 50°4’30.449″N, 14°23’46.671″E
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