Klášter servitů na Novém Městě Monastery

Welcome to the heart of Prague's New Town. Right now you are facing one of the oldest and most important monastery complexes in this part of the city, which is the monastery of services on Grážíček. Stop for a moment, take a breath and feel the atmosphere of this place, which for hundreds of years has been an inseparable part of Prague's history. When you look at the buildings in front of you, you see a trail of centuries that intersects here and tells the story of faith, gratitude and architectural changes. It is a place where the silence of the monastery corridors collides with the dynamics of the modern metropolis, and it is you who have the opportunity to discover what really happened behind these walls.

Let us now return together in time deep into the fourteenth century, to the time when Praha was becoming the real centre of the European world. Everything started in the year three hundred and fifty-nine, when Pope Inocenc the sixth issued official permission to establish a monastery of services here in Prague. The foundation itself followed shortly thereafter, around the year three hundred sixty. There was no one less behind this construction than Emperor Charles the fourth, a man whose vision is still felt in every corner of this city. Why is it that he is interested in this order, and why has he decided to create it here? The answer lies in personal promise and deep gratitude. Charles the Fourth founded this monastery as a token of gratitude for his recovery. The inspiration for this gesture was drawn from his stay in Florence, where he was deeply interested in the service monastery there. It was therefore an act of a personal character, but it became part of Karl the fourth's wider, brilliant plan for modernization and development of Prague. The Emperor wanted his city not only to be a political but also a spiritual centre, which is why such important foundations were created here.

Now pay attention to the very buildings you see before you. What you perceive is not the work of a single time, but a layered record of history that has been gradually rewritten. Originally, the whole complex was built in a Gothic style, which was the most modern direction at that time, symbolizing the take-off and ambition of that time. However, history was cruel to buildings, especially during the Thirty Years' War, which left deep wounds in many parts of the city. After this devastating period, six hundred and sixty-nine major Baroque reconstruction followed. The Baroque brought new dynamism and decoration into architecture, which was reflected in the form of a monastery. If you look at the facade and the overall available, note this harmony, which persists in buildings despite all changes.

Another crucial chapter in the form of buildings came in the nineteenth century, namely between a thousand and eight hundred fifty-eight and a thousand and eight hundred sixty-three. That's when architect Bernhard Gruber took over. At that time in Europe, there was a wave of nostalgia beyond the Middle Ages and an attempt to return the monuments to their original nature. Gruber therefore carried out the so-called regotization of monastery buildings. This means that he tried to remove the later layers and return to the buildings their original Gothic character and aesthetics. It is thanks to his project that the monastery looks as you see it today. So look at the lines of buildings and see how the original medieval idea mingles with the nineteenth century to see what goth should look like.

In addition to the emperor Charles the fourth one, Beneš z Veitmile, another important figure of the time that helped shape the face of Prague at the time. The monastery was not only a set of walls, stone and roofs, but it served as an important spiritual centre. Imagine the life here centuries ago: silent prayers, study in libraries and the rhythm of the day determined by the bell that called the monks for prayer. It was an oasis of peace and contemplation in the midst of the emerging New Town. However, no institution is invulnerable and even a monastery of servicemen has avoided the waves of political change. In the year one thousand seven hundred eighty-three came the break that changed the fate of this place forever. As part of the Josephine reforms, which at that time radically changed the role of the church in the state and disrupted orders that did not bring direct benefit to society, the monastery was abolished. The monks had to leave their homes and the buildings began to serve completely different purposes. It is fascinating to think how many generations of people have passed through here and how their perception of this space has changed from silent prayer to administrative needs of the state.

Before we say good-bye, I have one interesting thing for you that has a beautiful connection between the distant past and today. The church of Annunciation of the Virgin Mary is at the heart of the whole monastery complex. While the monastery part underwent many changes, cancellations and changes of function, the church remained an active place of faith. Today, the Orthodox Church uses it. It is a truly fascinating fact, because in one building there is a medieval Catholic tradition, which Charles was the fourth behind, with today's spiritual life of Orthodox believers. It is a place where history from the fourteenth century still breathes and where prayer sounds, albeit in a different language and ritual than it did here in the founding times. This continuity gives the whole complex a special depth and reminds us that although regimes and orders change, the need for spiritual refuge remains the same.

Now I leave you to look at the details of the facades in peace and without haste and perceive the silence that can still be found in the vicinity of the monastery in the middle of the noisy centre of Prague. Walk around the buildings, think about the fates of the people who lived here, and let yourself be carried away by the images of medieval Prague, the imperial promise and the architectural dreams of Bernhard Gruber. Note how buildings are inserted into the surrounding space and how the most important nature of this place survived. I hope this short trip to history has helped you better understand the importance of the monastery of services on Grážice and that you have found some peace in it. I wish you a pleasant continuation of your walk around New Town and exploring other hidden treasures of our beautiful Prague. Goodbye.