Church of Our Lady on the Lawn, Gothic church in New Town, Czech Republic
Church of Our Lady on the Lawn is a Gothic structure in Prague that received Baroque modifications, featuring tall pointed windows and detailed stonework at its entrance. The interior is organized by arches and columns that emphasize the Gothic architectural style.
Charles IV founded the church on 24 March 1360 beside an older chapel of the Virgin Mary, and it was built between 1360 and 1375 for the Servite order. In 1420 Prague's citizens broke through its south wall to place a cannon in the nave aimed at the royal garrison at Vyšehrad, so the nave was re-vaulted in the late Gothic period. The Servites lost the monastery in 1786 and the church was secularised in 1783.
The name "Na Slupi" comes from the old Czech word "slup", meaning a fish tank kept in the nearby Botič stream; a second reading links it to the single pillar carrying the church vault. Inside, the keystone of the nave vault bears the coat of arms of Šváb of Chvatlin, Duchko and Mikuláš, who represented the church in 1498. Since 1995 the building has served the Orthodox Church as the Church of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos.
The church stands in the Botič stream valley below Vyšehrad, on the New Town side, a short walk from the Karlovo náměstí metro stop. Since 1995 it has been used by the Orthodox Church, so visiting depends on its services rather than fixed tourist hours.
The church vault rests on a single pillar, which gave the site its old Czech name "Na Slupi" (from "slup", pillar). A keystone in the nave vault bears the coat of arms of Šváb of Chvatlin, Duchko and Mikuláš, who represented the church in 1498.
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