Sometimes life takes you places you never imagined. And other times it takes you to those same places twice in two months. That’s what happened to me with Prague. Since I work in advertising and Prague is a popular destination for shooting commercials, I figured I would go some day. However every time one of my spots was scheduled to shoot in Prague, the budgets never allowed for both the writer and art director to attend and since I was the writer I would have to stay behind.
After a decade of waiting I figured I just wasn’t meant to visit Prague. So, I took matters into my own hands by booking a trip for my mom, my aunt and I to visit the elusive city. Little did I know two months later I would finally be on a shoot there. And so it happened—I was in Prague during the Summer and then in Prague again during Autumn. A dream coming true twice.
Lucky for me the second trip allowed me to discover the Strahov Library.
I had a few hours to wander the city and decided to visit early in the morning, right when they opened. It took one glance from the majestic entrance to take my breath away. The polished floor-to-ceiling wood furnishings with intricate carvings were magnetic.
The first room I saw was the Philosophical Hall. One of the two main rooms that compose the library housed within the Strahov Monastery. The other room is the Theological Hall.
Each of these rooms were built at different times and under the direction of different abbots. The Theological Hall came first and was established around 1674. It is decorated in the stucco style with paintings dating from the 1720s. The Philosophical Hall was built under the direction of the abbot Václav Mayer circa 1794. This second hall is built in the Classical style and was the last major construction within the Monastery.
Both halls have ceiling frescoes created by Siard Nosecký and Anton Maulbertsch.
The Strahov Monastery itself was founded in 1143 and had already survived the Hussuite War and the Thirty Years War before the library was conceived.
The ticket I purchased at the door didn’t allow me to step into the library itself, I was only able to view it from the library hallway. So even though it was amazing to be within reach of such a beautiful space, it wasn’t the same as stepping inside. I recently read that if you buy tickets online and book a proper tour of the library you’re able to step into the halls and take photos.
Aside from the library, within the monastery there’s also a Picture Gallery and Treasury with rotating exhibits.
Useful information:
If you intend to take pictures, like I did, make sure to purchase the photo permission with your ticket.
Hours:
Open daily (except December 24, 25, and Easter Sunday)
9 am - 5 pm (closed for lunch 12pm - 1pm)
Entry:
Adults: 150 CZK
Family: 300 CZK (2 adults + max 3 children under 15 years)
Photo permission (no flash): 50 CZK
