The convent of St Agnes is a cluster of early 13th century buildings, situated in the north of the Prague's Old Town (Staré Mesto), close to the river. Sister of Wenceslas I, Agnes was canonised by John Paul II in 1990, although the convent was by then defunct.

The buildings themselves, despite their antiquity, are a bit of a disappointment: the chapels in particular, are scrubbed bare of decoration and furnishings. But, with a stroke of genius, the Czech authorities have moved the mediaeval and early renaissance paintings from their national collection here, and it makes the perfect setting. An added bonus is that it's a little off the beaten track, so like us you may have the whole place to yourself (in mid-March).

The emphasis is on art from central Europe, and although the quality varies somewhat, there are some outstanding pieces, such as those by the Master of the Altar of Vyssi Brod (c.1350). Later pieces show influences of schools from from Germany, Austria and further afield.

Given the period (about 1200-1550), the vast majority of the display covers religious subjects: as well as paintings, icons and triptychs, it includes a fair number of sculptures.

As ever with art from this period, it is the social history which the paintings inadvertantly depict - costumes, armour, the depiction of peasants, the discovery of perspective - which delights, as much, if not rather more than, the religious subjects themselves. (The depiction of devils and demons can be fun too, if the artists have let their imaginations run...).

Be warned: the collection is huge and the layout is inevitably rather rambling. Pace yourself, or pick out some key pieces, and suggest leaving less enthusiastic friends or family in a nearby hostelry...