Description

Essentials about Strahov Monastery in brief

If you are a fan of monasteries, you should make your way to Strahov Monastery during a visit to Prague. Located on the outskirts of the Hradčany district, the monastery is one of the most beautiful abbeys in the Czech Republic and well worth a visit, especially for lovers of historical libraries. The library halls of the monastery are undoubtedly among the most beautiful of their kind in the whole of Europe. Moreover, in the monastery’s own picture gallery you can see an important collection of Central European Gothic painting as well as Baroque and Rococo painting.

The history of Strahov Monastery

Historically, the monastery dates back to Duke Vladislav II and his wife Getrud of Babenberg, who, in cooperation with the Bishop of Olomouc, founded the Premonstratensian monastery of Mons Sion on Strahov Hill in 1140-43. Incidentally, the first monastic brothers who settled the site and built the monastery church as well as residential and farm buildings came from the Steinfeld Monastery in the Eifel.

After a devastating fire in the middle of the 13th century, the entire complex was rebuilt within a few years. Further damage occurred in the following centuries in the course of the Hussite Wars, the Thirty Years’ War and the War of the Austrian Succession.

The Strahov Library

The highlight of the monastery is the Strahov Library, which, in addition to the book collection, houses numerous unique items, prints, manuscripts, engravings and maps. Among the greatest treasures is the Strahov Gospels, a parchment gospels probably from the 9th century. Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful library halls in the world is the so-called “Theological Hall” built in the Baroque style at the end of the 17th century. This initially contained the entire monastery library and since 1790 has housed exclusively the theological works. In the Theological Hall there are also a number of astrological and geological globes.

The second magnificent library hall is the so-called “Philosophical Hall”, which was built in 1783-1790 for the library collections of the secularized monastery Klosterbruck near Znojmo. With a length of 32 meters, a width of 10 meters and a height of 14 meters, the classicist hall is one of the most impressive library halls in Europe.

The Abbey Church

In the center of the monastery is the Abbey Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, originally a Romanesque basilica with three naves. After numerous damages it received its present baroque appearance in the middle of the 18th century. The interior is decorated with many ceiling frescoes and wall paintings depicting motifs from the life of St. Norbert of Xanten, the founder of the Premonstratensian Order. Since the Thirty Years’ War, the relics of St. Norbert have also been in the church. Incidentally, the founders of the monastery, Prince Vladislav II and Bishop Jindřich Zdík, are buried in an unknown place.

Website

strahovskyklaster.cz

Opening hours

Opening hours library:

Admission fees

* The Joint tour includes visits to all public areas of the monastery, including the library, the gallery and the historical parts of the monastery.

Address

Getting there

By public transport:

Tram lines 22 and 23: Stop Pohořelec

By car:

There is a parking lot on site.