Sacré Coeur Monastery

Behind this neo Gothic chapel lies a finishing school where noble girls once learned French etiquette and sacred devotion in equal measure. In 1872, Josefina Goetz, head of the French congregation of the Ladies of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, purchased a former mansion here in Smíchov to establish both a monastery and an exclusive boarding school. The estate transformed into an educational institute where daughters of wealthy families received lessons conducted entirely in French, combining religious instruction with refined European manners. On June 30, 1882, the foundation stone was laid for a new chapel designed by Father Ghislain Bethun, a Benedictine monk from the nearby Emmaus monastery. Builder Ferdinand Zehengruber completed the striking neo Gothic structure by 1884. What makes this chapel truly exceptional are its interior murals painted by artists from the Beuron school, a 19th century artistic movement known for its geometric precision and tranquil, muted colors inspired by ancient Egyptian, Greek, and early Christian art. The Beuron style emphasized anonymous group work done for spiritual worship rather than personal glory. These rare artworks create an atmosphere unlike any other religious space in the city, blending medieval architecture with a unique artistic vision that emerged from German Benedictine monasteries.