Living in Břevnov: a thousand-year-old monastery and a village on a hill

Břevnov is one of those places that reminds you how old Prague is. A monastery here was founded in 993, centuries before the New Town was a gleam in anyone's eye, and the settlement round it has been in use ever since. Ride the tram up the hill and you pass villas, a baroque church, a bakery and a school, and you realise that this is simply where people live.

A short history

The Benedictine Břevnov Monastery was founded in 993 by Prince Boleslaus II and Bishop Adalbert (Vojtěch), and it is considered the oldest male monastery in Bohemia. The present buildings are mostly baroque, including the Church of St Margaret. The monastery complex remains a cultural and religious site, and visitors can see parts of it, though access to some areas depends on tours (as of 2026; check the official source).

Nearby is the White Mountain (Bílá hora), where the Battle of White Mountain took place on 8 November 1620, an event that marked the Habsburg victory over the Bohemian estates and shaped Czech history for centuries. See our short history of Prague. The Hvězda game park, with its star-shaped summer palace from the 16th century, lies on the same ridge.

What Břevnov feels like

The district is spread along a ridge, with distinct parts. Around the monastery the streets are old and quiet. Along the main road, shops, schools and tram stops form a local centre. Villa streets with gardens fill the slopes. To the north is a more modern area with panel housing and the Petřiny estate. Further west the land opens into fields, woods and the game park.

The overall mood is local and calm. Retired residents, families and university staff mix. Evenings are quiet, with a few pubs and a restaurant or two. This is not a nightlife district.

Getting around

A tram line links Bílá hora with the castle area and the city centre through Břevnov (check the current route in the PID app, since lines change during works). Metro A stops at Petřiny, Hradčanská and Dejvická. The big University Hospital Motol is on the A line further west.

The ridge means hills. Walking to a tram stop can be steep, and winter ice matters. See how to use Prague's metro, trams and buses for the basics.

A weekday on the ridge

Mornings in Břevnov begin with the tram. Commuters climb on at the stops near the monastery, children head for school and the bakery on the main road sells out of the good rolls by eight. By nine the district settles into its slow daytime rhythm: retirees on the benches, mothers with prams, a delivery lorry edging along a narrow street.

In the afternoon the schoolchildren return and the park fills. In the evening the pubs on the main road are half-full, mostly with regulars. The ridge gets windy, the lights of the city appear below and it is easy to forget that the castle is only a few tram stops away.

Green space

This is Břevnov's strong suit. The Hvězda game park is a walled woodland with paths. The White Mountain has open land and views. Petřín and Strahov are an easy walk to the east. For other green districts, see Prague's greenest neighbourhoods.

Housing and schools

Housing is a mixed bag, which is its virtue. Villas and houses, some divided into flats. Interwar blocks. Panel housing at Petřiny and elsewhere, which may offer good value in a green setting. Prices vary by type and street; compare current listings and see cost of living in Prague.

Families like Břevnov for its schools, nurseries and parks. Czech state primary schools use catchment areas (spádové školy); ask the district office. For private options, see how to choose an international school.

What locals know

Locals walk the monastery grounds, jog the Hvězda park and use the tram to the castle. They know the bakeries and the small pubs, and the shortcuts on foot to Petřín and Strahov. They know which stops are slippery in winter.

They also know that the hill gives views. On a clear day you can see across the city from the ridge, which is a good reason to take an evening walk.

Choosing your corner of Břevnov

The district is long, and the experience varies with the section. Near the monastery you get old walls, quiet lanes and a sense of history. On the main road you get shops and trams. In the villa streets you get gardens and silence. Towards Petřiny and Bílá hora you get panel blocks, open views and bigger flats for the money. None of these is wrong, but they are different lives.

Test the tram stop distance, the gradient and the evening noise. A flat that is five minutes from a stop on the flat is not the same as one that is five minutes uphill. Ask about the bus connections to metro A, which can make the commute faster than the tram. If you have children, visit the school and the nearest playground on a weekday afternoon. If you have a dog, walk the route to Hvězda before you sign.

Who it suits

Břevnov suits families, couples and anyone who wants a local feel and green space within reach of the centre. It suits people who work in Dejvice, the castle area or the hospital. It suits those who like history and don't need nightlife.

It suits people who want a metro at the door or lively streets less well. For a livelier neighbour, see Dejvice or the Prague 6 guide; for a quieter one, Střešovice.

Frequently asked questions

How old is Břevnov Monastery?

It was founded in 993, and is regarded as the oldest male monastery in Bohemia.

What happened at White Mountain?

The Battle of White Mountain took place on 8 November 1620 and ended in defeat for the Bohemian estates.

Is there a metro station in Břevnov?

Not in its centre. Metro A stops at Petřiny and Hradčanská nearby, and trams run along the ridge.

Is Břevnov quiet?

Mostly yes. It is a residential district with little nightlife.