The Strahov Monastery and Library

Strahov Library is one of the most valuable and best preserved historical libraries not only in the Czech Republic. Secures over 200,000 books, including over 3,000 manuscripts and 1,500 incunabula stored in a special depositary. The library consists of two halls, Theological and Philosophical larger hall, and connecting corridors between them. > Theological Hall The oldest part of today's library, the so-called Theological Hall, was built between 1671-1674 according to the design and under the direction of G. D. Orsi. The ceiling frescoes from the Strahov monk Siarda Nosecký are from the years 1721 to 1727. The hall is supported primarily theological literature, most of the northern wall covering various editions of the Bible. > Cabinet of Curiosities and connecting corridor Both connecting corridor also serves as a library, on the western end of the northern corridor connecting the so-called cabinet of curiosities, forerunner of later museums. The glazed cabinets are located remarkable natural materials (shells, stuffed animals, etc.) > Philosophy Hall The main domed hall of historic library, called Philosophy, measuring about 10 x 32 m extends over two floors of the building. It was created by modifying the original granary in the years 1783-1785 with a new facade of I. J. Palliardiho statues and Ignaz Franz Platzer. 1792 has been modified so that it could move here library furniture 1778 from the abandoned monastery in Louka near Znojmo. The ceiling frescoes are by F. A. Maulbertsch in 1794 and depict the spiritual development of mankind

Originally Romanesque Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary from the second half of the 12th century was rebuilt in Gothic style after a fire in 1258. The current Baroque appearance of the basilica is the work of Italian architect Anselmo Lurago, who led the rebuilding after the 1742 and 1751 damaged during the French and Prussian bombardment of Prague. The Basilica was thoroughly renovated after 1993.

Strahov monastery for centuries cared about education and culture. Already in the 18th century there was a valuable collection of paintings. A year after his election Strahov abbot (1834), Jerome Joseph Zeidler decided to build a picture gallery. In the seventies of the 19th century consisted of a gallery more than a thousand items. Hall with a hundreds of paintings attended by dozens of people a year, later hundreds of candidates from across Europe.