History of the Hospital

It would be difficult to find a facility—not only within the Czech Republic but also across the wider European region—that has provided medical care continuously since the 14th century. Right in the heart of the capital, on the right bank of the Vltava River, we find such a unique institution: Na Františku Hospital. The hospital has been evolving throughout its entire history, dating back to 1354, when Arnošt of Pardubice consecrated a chapel and a hospital on this site. In 1368, Archbishop Jan established a foundation to ensure the hospital’s continued existence; this foundation was placed under the patronage of Emperor Charles IV himself.

In 1620, Ferdinand II handed over the hospital’s charter to the Order of the Brothers of Mercy, and the hospital continued to expand—a pharmacy was established at the hospital, the number of beds increased from the original 24 to 55, and in 1703 an additional floor was added, enabling the facility to accommodate nearly 90 patients. A donation from Empress Maria Theresa enabled further improvements to the Na Františku Hospital, which, as a branch of the medical faculty, became an important scientific and research center. In 1783, Emperor Joseph II approved plans for the hospital’s further development. Prof. Jan Theobald Held, who later became dean of the faculty and rector of Charles University, was appointed director of the hospital.

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Emperor Franz Joseph and Crown Prince Ferdinand d’Este visited the hospital to show their support. The importance of the hospital in the heart of Prague was also underscored by figures such as T. G. Masaryk, E. Beneš, and Pope Pius XI, who were instrumental in securing a substantial sum of money, thanks to which the extension of the riverside section of the building could be completed in 1926. This extension, designed by the renowned interwar architects V. Kvasnička and J. Mayer, significantly increased the hospital’s capacity to 200–280 beds. The hospital thus became the largest healthcare facility in Prague and the surrounding area.

The new section of the hospital was officially opened on October 9, 1927. Architecturally, it resembles a horizontal letter E, with the central part of the building connecting the new structure to the original one. The new extension offers magnificent views of the Vltava River and the Prague skyline, thanks in part to the unique panoramic windows in the operating rooms.

During World War II, the hospital served as a military field hospital for wounded pilots of the Nazi Luftwaffe. In 1950, the entire complex was transferred to state ownership and became part of various District National Health Institutes until 1992, when the hospital was separated from the Prague 1 District National Health Institute. This led to the creation of a new legal entity—Na Františku Hospital—as a subsidized organization established by the Prague 1 municipal district.

A pivotal moment in the history of Na Františku Hospital occurred on February 6, 1847, when Brother Celestýn Opitz performed the first surgery in Bohemia under general ether anesthesia. The anesthesia was initially tested on strong, healthy individuals. By April 20 of that same year, Opitz had performed a total of 186 surgeries using ether anesthesia at Na Františku, most of which were tooth extractions.

This anesthesiological tradition was continued in the 1960s by the first inpatient anesthesiology and resuscitation department (ARO) in Czechoslovakia, opened at Na Františku Hospital. While some sources cite 1961 as the year of its establishment, it officially began operations on February 15, 1965. The department was equipped with 14 monitored beds and provided resuscitation care to patients from both Prague and rural areas.

The uniqueness of Na Františku Hospital is also evidenced by the names of other leading medical figures who worked there—Theofil Šrámek, Kristian Zeidler, Prof. Plencziz, Prof. Bayer, Prof. Piťha, Dr. Kreisinger, and many others. Many prominent figures also sought treatment at Na Františku Hospital—including, for example, J. Dobrovský, F. X. Brixi, K. I. Thám, Jan Werich, Ljuba Hermanová, Václav Havel, and Hana Hegerová.