On from the oldest monasteries in Bohemia, founded probably in 993 by the Prince Boleslav II. and the Bishop St Ethelbert. It was a seat of the Slavonic congregation of the Order of St Benedict. The monastery was built far from the centre of the future town, amid a thick forest. The name of the district Břevnov refers to "břevno", or a piece of wood, which reportedly marked the place of foundation. The Břevnov monastery had a rich history, until the recent past, and resumed its activities in 1990.
It contains ample evidence of the many centuries of its history, including a surviving. Early Romanesque crypt was built in the 11th century. The overall appearance of the monastery and the church, however, is in the Baroque style. The Church of St. Margaret is a Baroque masterpiece by the architect Christoph Dientzenhofer. Its interiors are remarkable in terms of both the use of the space and the decorations. The altar-pieces are the work of outstanding Czech Baroque painter Petr Brandl.