Strahovsky Monastery in Prague

Strahovsky Monastery for more than 800 years serves as the Center for Enlightenment and Science of the Czech Republic. Now the abode is open to the visit, providing the opportunity to see the most interesting specimens of their collections of books, manuscripts and paintings.

Tourists attracts Monastery Library. It is decorated with magnificent frescoes and amazes visitors with multi-meter shelves with books. Few tourists passes by the monastery brewery, famous for his beer "Saint Norbert". There is something to see, there is something to be surprised, but about everything in order.

Road to the Enlightenment Center (how to get there)

Strahovsky Monastery is located in the Greadyan area, it is about kilometer to the west of Prague Country. A visit to these two places is conveniently combined in one day, but we recommend objectively to evaluate your strength, energy may just not be enough.

If you go from Prague Castle, go through the Western Gate and go straight down the street, about a kilometer on the left hand there will be a Strahovsky Monastery.

If we are going to the Strahovsky Monastery with public transport, then use Prague subway, you need to go to the station "Malostranska". For the Prague Metro scheme, see our page "Metro Prague – a scheme in our".

From the subway to get difficult. You can sit on the tram number 22 and get to the stop "Pohorelec". First problem – which way to sit down. Solution – you need to sit on the opposite of the outlet of the side of the street. If you look at the statue of the winged lion from the tram paths, then sit down on the tram that goes to the left. The second problem is how to understand where to go. Go out when you see two bell tower of the Strahov monastery, they are white with green roofs

From the subway, you can walk through the streets of Lethensk, Nerudov, UG. Go 2 kilometers about half an hour, there are a serious chance of collapse off there and get lost. Better sit on the tram. From the station you can take a taxi, the trip cost will be about 100 Czech crowns. Expensive for a trip to 2 kilometers, read about prices in our article "Czech taxi – prices and tariffs".

Cost of visiting

You can inspect the territory of the monastery for free, the entrance to the building is already paid.

Separately, a ticket to the library is bought, on this ticket you can see: the museum of literature, the hall of the curiosities, the hall of philosophy and the field of theology.

Separately, you need to buy a ticket to the gallery, on this ticket you can see: the main building of the monastery inside and the picture gallery.

Each ticket costs 120 CZK for adult.

60 crowns for children 6-15 years old, students (by international certificate) and pensioners (age from 65 years old, you need to present a passport).

Children under 6 years old are free. Family ticket (up to 2 adults + up to 2 children) – 200 kroons.

Entrance to the restaurant and brewery are free, but the beer is paid. Corporate variety "Saint Norbert" can be tried for: 40 crowns for 0.25l, 65 kroons for 0.4l. The price of Czech dishes in the restaurant is quite high: 80 crowns per soup, 200 crowns per Schnitzel, 290 crowns per local corporate burgher.

Opening hours

The monastery is open all days, except on December 24 and 25 (Christmas) and Easter Sunday.

Library work clock: C 9-00 to 17-00 with a break from 12-00 to 13-00.

Opening hours Galleries: C 9-30 to 17-00 with a break from 11-30 to 12-00.

Brewery and restaurant work from 10-00 to 22-00.

Planning time

The monastery complex was created for several centuries, so do not try to rest on it in an hour, it will not work. The minimum that is necessary is two hours, and even in this case, familiarity with the riches of the monastery will be very superficial. About what you can see here, read later in this article.

Strahovsky Monastery – History in Figures and Facts

The history of the Ancient Prague Monastery began in 1138. It was then, after the pilgrimage on the Holy Land of the Bishop of Olomouc – the Jindrzhich Region, he has a construction idea of ​​the monastery for the monks of the premonstrats.

This is an ancient Order of Monks. Founded this Roman Catholic Order of Saint Norbert in 1120. Remonstrats call more NorBerrtians or white guns. Bishopat Prague and King Solelaslav II supported his idea, and the construction of the monastery began in Strahov. The name of the place is associated with the location on the approaches to Prague.

Premonstrats In 1140, a wooden building Constitue and Romanesque Basilica. Norbert did not live up to this moment 6 years. The King Soboles II did not live. He is replaced by Vladislav II, who supported the idea of ​​the construction of the monastery.

By 1149, the stone church was erected. The complex was ready already in 1182.

The fire of 1258 destroyed the building of the monastery, but they were restored. The monastery of the robbery of gusites in 1420 was not avoided, it was the "black" era in the history of the Czech Republic, many monuments were injured. Until the end of the 16th century, the abode was experiencing times of decline, in 1594 only 12 community brothers lived here.

When the abbot of the monastery choose John, its reconstruction begins, and spiritual, and material. The Old Building of the Church is rebuilt, the gardens are erected, workshops are constructed. The inner decoration of the church was decorated with 12 frescoes, narrative history of the life of Saint Norbert (his monastic period).

In 1612, the place of Abbot in the Strahovsky Monastery occupies Kaspar Kestenberg. With it, a brewery is built on the territory of the monastery, the college of Saint Norbert is based. The merit of Kevelenberg includes the translation from Magdeburg to the abode of Stragov of the relics of St. Norbert. They are in the monastery and today.

Swedes at the end of the thirty-year war robbing abbey. They export valuable items, manuscripts, unique books from the library. Residents of the monastery again restore the abode after the war. Library Hall Reconstructed in 1679. Up to 18th century, the building of the monastery acquire a baroque species.

Summer refectory opens, re-earned the brewery, recovery agricultural land. New ruin came to the monastery in 1742: French troops bombed buildings. And again the revival of the monastery begins.

The organ in the church remembers the unsurpassed game of Mozart, who visited the monastery in 1787.

At the end of the 18th century, with Emperor Joseph II, the abode comprehend new problems. Issued a decree on the closure of useless monasteries. Under the Strahovsky monastery, the library available to the public was opened. It saved the abode.

By the end of the 18th century, more than 400 paintings were kept in the monastery. Arrange the collection took Abbot Ieronim. Zeyndler in 1834. Catalog Catalog was created. The number of works increased to thousands of copies.

Already in the 20th century, painters are exposed in the Strahovsky Gallery (in the photo on the right, click on the photo to enlarge). In addition to the constant exposition, the museum and thematic exhibitions are held in the building.

Until the 1950s, the abbey lived in relative peace. Officially, the activities of the monastery were stopped in communist mode. During this period, archaeological research of the complex begins.

In 1989, the building of the monastery complex is returned to the apronstrats. It begins the costly restoration of the entire complex, continuing to this day.

What is rich in the Strahov monastery

Let’s start our journey along the complex from the main gate. The gate at the entrance to the Strahov monastery guards a sculpture of the founder of the Order of Premonstratensian – St. Norbert.

Not far from the entrance is the Basilica of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary. It is here that the relics of Saint Norbert. Ready of your attention and church of St. Roha. It was built by order of King Rudolph II in 1603-1612 years.

Attractions of the monastery is the library, its philosophical and theological hall (pictured on the left, click on the photo to enlarge), the dimensions of the shelves with the books a delight for tourists. Foundation of the monastery library is impressive. In the 17th century there were more than 3 million copies, a huge figure of the era. In 1648, the Swedes were taken to Stockholm and Uppsala 19 boxes of books.

By Abbot Jerome Girngayme for 4 years (1670-1674), the library was re-established in new premises. Abbot Vaclav Mayer from an old barn built a new library building, retaining the unique edition to the public. Revolving fund at the time of the libraries closing monasteries.

Books are placed in several rooms. The walls are covered in Theological Hall fresco "The impact of the wisdom of God in the spiritual history of mankind," Franz Molbertsoma. Carved bookshelves were brought from the monastery in Louka near Znojmo, these shelves are now Philosophical Hall.

Nowadays, in the vault of the library "live" about 130 thousand books, 2500 manuscripts, 1500 incunabula, thousands of graphic works.

The pride of the library is the Strahov Gospel 9th ​​century. Visitors can see a copy of the content only. Stored in the library and the original chronicle of Abbot Yarloha. It is here that the first mention of the construction of the Strahov Monastery.

In the first room of the library is the bookstore. Reading went out and brought tourists are sure to discover something interesting. We recommend to stay here longer, here you can find rare copies of books, a gift from the Czech Republic is unlikely to buy somewhere else, perhaps in the shop "Luxor" on Wenceslas Square.

Natural history collection assembled in the "Cabinet of Curiosities" (analog Kunstkammer). It will see the extraordinary marine life, a collection of insects and minerals. Dodo bird remains found among the curious specimens now extinct. Presents and exhibits for military topics: ship 17-18 centuries, trunk of a gun 1686, riding boots, Polish spears, Tatar onions, helmets, hunting crossbows and other. The photo below click on the photo to enlarge.

On the territory of the monastery is the Museum of National Literature, Miniature Museum, Garden, Brewery. In the museum of national writing, founded in 1953, stored works dating from 1775. The museum contains more than 6 million archive instances. These are manuscripts, letters, draft works, photo archives, cuts from newspapers, documents, publishing archives, etc.

There is nowhere to exhibit a huge material, so part of the meeting is exported outside Prague. Now the museum administration is looking for a premises.

Advice coming to the abode

– Visiting religious buildings, remember clothes, modest and covered shoulders and legs. Will not be superfluous for women and headdress. We talked about the dress code in detail in the article "What is not recommended to do tourists in the Czech Republic".

– Structures on the territory of the complex a lot, so you have to pretty, getting acquainted with the monastery. Shoes should be comfortable and diverse. Details about travel clothes in the Czech Republic read in the article "What to take tourists to the Czech Republic".

– Fans foam drinks will be happy to taste it in a beer restaurant. Take the famous Beer "Saint Norbert", two varieties – dark and amber. On the photo on the left, click on the photo to enlarge.

– Tasting of the Beer of the Monastery Breeding Plant – the event is popular among tourists. It is necessary to book a table in advance, even at the beginning of the excursion by the monastery.

– If you wish to stay for a couple of days, then your local hotel. You can always stay at the Monastery Hotel. Prices for accommodation here are quite high.

– Cashier tickets will have to buy for Czech crowns. Do not forget to exchange money, what are you reading our review "where to change the money in the Czech Republic".

– The monastery has a big sightseeing platform by visiting which the unique types of Prague will discover.

– The use of alcoholic beverages (including beer) is prohibited throughout, except for the restaurant. Smoking is prohibited throughout without exception. Recall that from May 2017 in the Czech Republic there is a new anti-bacter law, in detail in our review "Smoking in the Czech Republic – Laws and Penalties".

We wish to enjoy all the beauties of buildings, books and paintings in the Strahovsky Monastery, and read our interesting article about the Czech Republic (Links below).

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Alexander – Glavred site

Very interesting comment made user Chattelinn. Read it on a separate page of the bus tour experience.