svatá Markéta

Gazing up at the Church of St. Margaret, one might sense the weight of centuries whispering through the stones. Svatá Markéta, as it’s known in Czech, isn’t just a beautiful baroque masterpiece. It’s a testament to faith, resilience, and the enduring spirit of Břevnov Monastery. This church, part of the second oldest monastery in Bohemia, stands as a beacon of history. Svatá Markéta and the monastery were founded in 993 AD by Prince Boleslav II and Saint Adalbert. They chose a then-remote location, amid a thick forest, in keeping with Benedictine tradition. The very name Břevnov, meaning “a piece of wood,” refers to a marker that designated the sacred spot. Inside Svatá Markéta, the artistry of architect Christoph Dientzenhofer unfolds. The baroque interiors are breathtaking, a symphony of space and decoration. Admire the altarpieces, vibrant creations of the renowned Czech baroque painter Petr Brandt. The church also houses a surviving Early Romanesque crypt from the early 11th century, a tangible link to its distant past. Svatá Markéta’s story, like that of the Břevnov Monastery, has been marked by both tranquility and turmoil. The Hussite Wars of the 1420s brought destruction, forcing the monks to flee. Centuries later, the Communist regime suppressed the monastery, only for it to be revived in 1990. Today, within these hallowed walls, the Benedictine tradition continues. Services are held regularly at Svatá Markéta, connecting the present with a legacy stretching back over a thousand years.