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Strahov Monastery
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Strahov Monastery building now serves as a monastery and a museum. Worth visit are the Basilica of Our Lady, and Theological and Philosophical Hall.
Vladislav II founded the Strahov Monastery for the Premonstratesian order, it dates back from 1140. The monastery, which became known as the Strahov monastery wasn't much of a success until 1143, when a group of Premonstratensians settled here. The Premonstratensians are a Roman Catholic order of canons founded in 1120 by St. Norbert. They are also known as the Norbertians or White Canons. During communist times the Monastery was closed and many monks imprisoned (they returned in 1990). The area includes the Church of St. Roch, Church of Our Lady of Ascension, Strahov Picture Gallery and a unique Strahov Library, which is located in large halls decorated with baroque ceiling frescos. It is a largest monastic library in the country with two baroque halls, more than 800 years old. The library contains more than 130,000 volumes, including 2,500 books published before 1500, and 3,000 manuscripts. The oldest book is the 9th-century Strahov Gospels. Other works include famous printers such as Christoffel Plantin from Antwerp. There's a two storey high Philosophy Hall dating from 1780 and its entire ceiling is covered with a delightful composition entitled The Spiritual Development of Mankind, by Franz Maulbertsch. The lobby outside the hall contains a Cabinet of Curiosities (must see). This corridor takes you to Theology Hall (curved ceiling encrusted in baroque stucco-work) dating from 1679 built by Giovanni Orsi. Theology Hall has walls lined with elaborately carved bookcases, stacked with precious volumes and manuscripts. There is also the Miniature Museum where you can write your name on a grain of rice.
Miniature Museum - admission 50 CZK, open from 10am-5pm
Strahov Library - admission is 70 CZK, open 9am-12am and form 1-5pm
Strahov Picture Gallery -admission 50 CZLK, opens as library
All those places are located at Stravoske nadvori (take tram 22 or 23)
More from history:
The new monastery soon started to prosper and in a short timeframe it became a centre of intellectual and spiritual life.
By the end of the 12th century, most of the original wooden buildings had been replaced by stone Romanesque buildings. The monastery was rebuilt in gothic style after a fire destroyed the complex in 1258. It continued to prosper until 1420 when it was plundered by Hussites.
The monastery started to decline until the end of the 16th century, when most of the buildings were repaired. It was plundered and sacked again during the 30 years war (1618-1648).
In the late 17th and early 18th Strahov Library was expanded, this time in baroque style. After a bombardment by the French army in 1742 most of the medieval gothic buildings were rebuilt in baroque style.
Vladislav II founded the Strahov Monastery for the Premonstratesian order, it dates back from 1140. The monastery, which became known as the Strahov monastery wasn't much of a success until 1143, when a group of Premonstratensians settled here. The Premonstratensians are a Roman Catholic order of canons founded in 1120 by St. Norbert. They are also known as the Norbertians or White Canons. During communist times the Monastery was closed and many monks imprisoned (they returned in 1990). The area includes the Church of St. Roch, Church of Our Lady of Ascension, Strahov Picture Gallery and a unique Strahov Library, which is located in large halls decorated with baroque ceiling frescos. It is a largest monastic library in the country with two baroque halls, more than 800 years old. The library contains more than 130,000 volumes, including 2,500 books published before 1500, and 3,000 manuscripts. The oldest book is the 9th-century Strahov Gospels. Other works include famous printers such as Christoffel Plantin from Antwerp. There's a two storey high Philosophy Hall dating from 1780 and its entire ceiling is covered with a delightful composition entitled The Spiritual Development of Mankind, by Franz Maulbertsch. The lobby outside the hall contains a Cabinet of Curiosities (must see). This corridor takes you to Theology Hall (curved ceiling encrusted in baroque stucco-work) dating from 1679 built by Giovanni Orsi. Theology Hall has walls lined with elaborately carved bookcases, stacked with precious volumes and manuscripts. There is also the Miniature Museum where you can write your name on a grain of rice.
Miniature Museum - admission 50 CZK, open from 10am-5pm
Strahov Library - admission is 70 CZK, open 9am-12am and form 1-5pm
Strahov Picture Gallery -admission 50 CZLK, opens as library
All those places are located at Stravoske nadvori (take tram 22 or 23)
More from history:
The new monastery soon started to prosper and in a short timeframe it became a centre of intellectual and spiritual life.
By the end of the 12th century, most of the original wooden buildings had been replaced by stone Romanesque buildings. The monastery was rebuilt in gothic style after a fire destroyed the complex in 1258. It continued to prosper until 1420 when it was plundered by Hussites.
The monastery started to decline until the end of the 16th century, when most of the buildings were repaired. It was plundered and sacked again during the 30 years war (1618-1648).
In the late 17th and early 18th Strahov Library was expanded, this time in baroque style. After a bombardment by the French army in 1742 most of the medieval gothic buildings were rebuilt in baroque style.
