Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

PRAGUE 251

Convent of

St Agnes o
Klášter sv anežky české

U Milosrdných 17. Map E2.
Tel 224 810 628. v 17 to Law
Faculty (Právnická fakulta), 5, 8, 14 to
Dlouhá třída. @ 133 to Řásnovka.
X Staroměstská, Náměstí
Republiky. # 10am–6pm Tue–Sun.
& 8 7 ^ http://www.ngprague.cz

The Convent of the Poor
Clares, founded by Princess
Agnes in 1234, was one of
the first Gothic buildings in
Bohemia. It functioned as
a convent until 1782, when
the Order was dis solved by
Joseph II.
Following a painstaking
restoration, the premises now
houses a magnificent collec-
tion of medieval art belonging
to Prague’s National Gallery.
Among its most precious
exhi bits are works by two
Czech artists of the 14th

mummified forearm to be
found hanging on the right
side of the church entrance.
According to legend, when a
thief tried to steal the jewels
from the Madonna on the
high altar, the Virgin grab bed
his arm and held on so tightly
that it had to be cut off.
The acoustics in the lengthy
nave are excellent and con-
certs are often held here.
The splendid organ dates
from 1702.

Třeboň altarpiece, Convent of St Agnes

Spanish

Synagogue p

Španělská synagóga

Vězeňská 1. Map E3. Tel 224 810

628. v 17, 18. @ 133 to Řásnovka
     ulice. X Staroměstská. # Apr–
     Oct: 9am–6pm Sun–Fri; Nov–Mar:
     9am–4:30pm Sun–Fri. ¢ Jewish
     hols. 7 http://www.jewishmuseum.cz

This is the site of Prague’s

first synagogue, known as the

Old School (Stará škola). In

the 11th cen tury, the Old

School was the centre of the

Sephardic Jewish com munity;

they lived strictly apart from

the Ashkenazi Jews, who

were concentrated around the

Old-New Synagogue (see

pp252–3). The present

Moorish build ing dates from

the second half of the 19th

cen tury. The ornate exterior

gives way to an even more

fantas tically deco rative and

gilded interior. The rich stucco

decorations are remi niscent of

the Alhambra palace in Spain,

hence the name. Once closed

century: the Master

of the Vyšší Brod

Altar and Master

Theodoric. The

latter’s splendid

series of pan els for

Charles IV’s chapel

at Karlštejn Castle

(see pp260–61) are

the unmissable

works in the gallery.

These larger-than-life

portraits of saints

and church fathers

are full of intense

expression and

rich colours. Other

interesting works

include moving

Crucifixion from

Prague’s Na

Slovanech Monastery,

14th-century panels

by the Master of

Třeboň, and an anon ymous

sculpture of the Madonna and

Child, much influ enced by the

famous Krumlov Madonna,

now in a museum in Vienna.

The early 16th century is

represented with works by

the Master of Litoměřice.

These include a Holy Trinity

triptych and the stunning

Visitation of the Virgin Mary.

to the public, the Spanish

Synagogue is now home to

an interest ing permanent

exhibition dedi cated to the

history of Prague’s Jews of

Bohemia, from the time of

the 1848 Jewish emancipation.

Jewish Town

Hall s

Židovská radnice

Maiselova 18. Map E3. Tel 222 319

2. @ 133. v 17, 18. X
   Staroměstská. ¢ to the public. 0

At the core of this attractive

pink and white building is the

orig inal Jewish Town Hall,

built between 1570 and 1577

by the rich mayor, Mordechai

Maisel. This is one of the few

build ings to survive the

Holocaust. It acquired its flow-

ery late-Baroque image in 1763

and fur ther alterations were

made in the early 20th century.

Permission for construc ting

the belfry, a small wooden

clock tower with a distinctive

green stee ple, was granted by

Ferdinand III. It has a clock

on each of its four sides, one

of which has Hebrew figures.

Since Hebrew reads from right

to left, it turns in an anti-

clockwise direction. The

build ing now houses a

popular kosher restaurant.

Old-New

Synagogue a

See pp252–3.

Belfry of the Jewish Town Hall, with

its two clocks in view