There are places in every city that every tourist is advised to visit, and one of such places is the Strahov Monastery in Prague, which has a rich history and unusual directions of its life.
Strahov Monastery
The largest religious place in the city center once played an important role, today it is one of the most interesting places, which is a representative of the oldest Christian building in the Czech Republic.
In addition to the fact that this building represents a monastery that anyone can visit, it also has a museum, a library and a brewery, known not only to citizens, but also to guests of the city. There is also an art gallery, which presents a large collection of paintings.
Description
The description of the Strahov Monastery can be started from the main gate in the Baroque style, where you can see the sculpture of Norbet. On the left is the church of St. Roch in the Renaissance style with Gothic elements. In the center of the courtyard is a statue of St. Norbet, and behind it the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
First, the church was built in the style of the Romanesque basilica, then rebuilt in the Gothic style, then in the Renaissance style, and today you can see it in the Baroque style, which has been preserved since the restructuring in the middle of the XVIII century.
If you look to the right of the entrance to the church, you can see the famous library, where there is a main hall, the Philosophical and Theological halls.
The Strahov Monastery in Prague is also beautiful because it has a terrace that offers stunning views of Prague Castle with red tiled roofs, a classic picture depicted on many postcards about Prague.
Background
In the old city center is one of the monasteries that have survived to this day and still flourish. The name Strahov Monastery in Prague received from the word "guardian". Once upon a time there was an outpost.
The history of the Strahov Monastery is quite simple, but laid the foundation for the existence of one abbey.
Once there lived a simple man named Norbet, lived calmly and measuredly, and could even become a bishop, but refused. But by chance, Norbet began to lead a monastic life, after he nearly died, riding a horse during a thunderstorm, but survived and considered it a divine sign.
Norbet founded the abbey, the order of premonstrants, the main thing for which is to lead a measured life, reject all sorts of money and develop its spiritual component.
At the entrance to the monastery you can see a sculpture of Norbet.
History of creation
However, the history of the Strahov Monastery in Prague began in 1140 at the insistence of Bishop Zdik.
At first it was built of wood, then stone buildings appeared. After the fire, in 1258, the buildings were rebuilt again, then rebuilt and new buildings added.
The monastery, which is located on Strahov Hill, in fact, once was a fortress and defended the city from attacks, delivering troubles regarding restoration work.
For some time, when the Luxembourg dynasty came to power, the attacks ended, but the peace did not last long, and the Hussite wars began, when in 1420 the monastery was partially destroyed and the library was looted.
In 1586, the abbot Jan Logelius began to manage the monastery, who was able to return part of the stolen property, and the construction of the Roch Church began under him.
In 1612, Logelius became bishop in Prague, and Kashpar Questenberg came to replace him, at which a brewery was built, and in 1627 the relics of St. Norbet were brought.
Only in 1630 did they complete the construction of the Roch Church.
At this time, the Thirty Years War begins, and the Swedes come to power, occupy the Strahov Monastery, take away most of the books, and destroy some buildings. And again in 1670, a new recovery period begins, when the Theological Hall is being built.
In 1742, the French attacked Prague and again destroyed the monastery. Over the years, it is rebuilt again, already in the Baroque style, which every tourist can see today.
But in the XVIII century they wanted to close it as unnecessary. Emperor Joseph II asks all religious institutions to prove their importance and expediency. The abbot, who ran the monastery at that time, Vaclav Mayer, had to open the library doors for everyone.
In 1779, the Philosophical Hall was built, and in 1787, Mozart came to the monastery, and the treasury of the monastery was replenished with another masterpiece.
National Literature Monument, Art Gallery and Museum of Miniatures
The existing Strahov Monastery in Prague, in addition to the building itself, has located on its territory the famous art gallery, which was founded in 1836 under the leadership of the abbot Jerome Zeydler. Paintings and sculptures always hung in the monastery, which was an integral part of this historic building. The very first paintings belong to the XV-XVI centuries, and the collection was most actively replenished in the XVII century. Some of the paintings were not preserved due to various attacks, realignments and fires. Most of the modern art gallery was collected in the 40s of the 19th century. Today you can see paintings by artists such as John Jerry Hering and the painting "Burial", Andrea Celesti, Peter Brandl and others.
A museum or a monument of writing has been keeping literary works since 1775. But the museum itself was not opened until 1953, it owned the first samples of writing when it first appeared.
Today, the main exhibits of the museum are manuscripts of writers and poets, drafts, newspaper clippings, photo documents and much more. In total, about 6 million written relics were collected and this entire collection no longer fits in one building.
We should also mention the museum of miniatures, as this is an interesting direction in the fine arts. To create such works that are presented in the museum, you must own filigree equipment and carry out all activities under a microscope. In total, 29 exhibits created by three artists are presented - Nikolai Aldunin, Anatoly Konenko and Eduard Ghazaryan. In the museum you can see the following exhibits: a samovar on a needle, the famous savvy flea, a train that fit in the balance and others.
Monastery Brewery
On the territory of the monastery for many centuries, as before, there is a brewery, which is famous for its famous amber drink "St. Norbet".
Here, at the brewery, there is the famous restaurant Klasterni pivovar Strahov, where you can order delicious snacks and national dishes. Despite the fact that the prices in the brewery in the Strahov Monastery in Prague are above average, there is always a lot of people here, and the quality of dishes and beer is at the highest level.
Old library
Almost from the moment the building was built, the library of the Strahov Monastery in Prague, which today is no less interesting to residents and visitors of the city, has begun to work. Several fires completely destroyed the library along with the monastery, but it was restored every time. Several centuries ago, it was considered the largest library in the Czech Republic, where thousands of books were collected.
Over the years, the library fund has been replenished, someone donated, someone left a legacy, or rare books were specially purchased.
In 1648, there was a case when the Swedish troops wanted to take out all the books, and they practically succeeded if the monks had not hidden part of the books and distributed them to the townspeople for storage.
A little later, the library began to expand, it was necessary to build another building.
Today, more than 130 thousand books, more than 2 thousand manuscripts, rare copies and graphic drawings are collected here. The library halls themselves look very beautiful: on the walls are frescoes and stucco work, built in the Baroque style.
Monastery Attractions
The Strahov Monastery in Prague is not the only interesting building; here you can see other attractions, such as the Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, which is decorated with frescoes. There is also a marble altar from Slivenets, various sculptures and the organ that Mozart once played on.
No less attractive is the Theological Hall, which got its name due to the fact that it stores the most diverse editions of the Bible in many languages, more than 18 thousand volumes.
A visit is also made to the Room of Wonders, where books related to natural science, and a collection of insects, samples of minerals and figurines of fruits are stored.
Another attraction of the monastery, created in 1782, is the Philosophical Hall, which contains 42 thousand volumes on philosophy, astronomy, mathematics, and history.
Strahov Monastery in Prague: how to get there
The monastery is located in the city center, which means that it is easy to get to it by walking, having reached by tram or bus, private car, but leaving the car at the nearest paid parking lot.
If you use public transport, you need to get off at the stop with the same name. The monastery itself is located at Strahovské nádvoří 1/132, Praha 1.
Strahov Monastery: opening hours and ticket price
On all days except Monday, the Strahov Monastery is open from nine in the morning until five in the evening. There is also a gallery and a museum, but it’s worth going to the library in the morning, as a certain number of people are allowed into it, and you just don’t have time to see this place.
The library works the same way as the monastery, except on December 24 and 25 on Christmas days and on Easter, all other days are open to everyone.
There is no single ticket for all buildings and premises on the territory of the monastery. Entrance to the monastery costs 80 kroons, and for a child - 50 kroons. To visit the library, you will have to pay 100 CZK (local currency). The ticket price to the gallery is 120 kroons. How much to spend in a brewery and a local restaurant, everyone decides individually.
Reviews
Everyone who has ever visited the Strahov Monastery in Prague claims to be one of the most beautiful places.
You can visit the monastery on your own, additionally go to several museums and a library, and then have a bite to eat at a local restaurant, although it costs more and more there, but the quality justifies the price.
It is beautiful not only inside, but also offers stunning views of the city. Someone believes that tickets do not justify what you see, while other tourists, on the contrary, are happy to take an additional tour to find out the history of the monastery.
Most of all, tourists are upset that, having paid for an entrance ticket to the library, they inspect it from the doorway, while I would like to walk around the hall and examine everything in more detail, so before buying a ticket, think about how much it will be interesting and justifiable for the price.