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Strahov Monastery, Prague. Where Gumbo Was #57

 

One of the great things about visiting a city like Prague is having the opportunity to see and explore so many interesting historic sites.  As an example, our featured travel quiz, the Strahov Monastary.  Congratulations to TravelRob for being the first (and only one) to recognize this historic abbey.  PHeymont had identified the city as Prague.  

Strahov Monastery, Prague, viewed from Petrin Hill

(Strahov Monastery)

The Monastery has beautiful architecture and a picturesque setting near Prague Castle, but it is best know for its lavish library of ancient texts and manuscripts.  So elegant is this library that it was used for filming scenes in the movie, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.  There's also an interesting small church to explore, the Basilica of the Assumption of our Lady.  And an excellent monastic brewery at which to enjoy another of the monks' creative endeavours.

Entrance to Strahov Monastery

(entrance to the Strahov Monastery, past a fortified wall)

Entrance to Strahov Monastery

Strahov is one of the oldest monasteries of the Premonstratensian Order in the world, operational nearly continously since its founding in 1143.  Over the years the Hussite and other religious conflicts and politicans have tried to shut it down, but somehow the monastery kept going.  Strahov Abbey, a Roman Catholic facility, currently has 80 members (monks and novices).

Chapel at the Strahov Monastery

Spire of the Chapel at the Strahov Monastery

(Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady is the main cloister church)

As with many monasteries in Europe, Strahov's monks were engaged in scholarly and artistic pursuits.  These included the creation of an extensive library of historic books and an elegant building in which to store and present them.  The most famous building in the complex is the Theological Hall, or Library, whose construction was completed in 1679.  The Theological Hall has elaborate roof decorations and paintings which date to the 1720s.

Strahov Library entrance

Strahov Library entrance

(entrance to the library)

The last threat to the library was its takeover in 1950 by the Soviet Communist regime.  The monks were forced to leave and the monastery was transformed into a "Memorial of National Literature".   After the fall of communism during the "Velvet Revolution" in 1989, the monastery was returned to the Premonstratensian Order which began a costly reconstruction of the complex.  By 1994 the church had been restored and the Strahov library rejuvinated.

I am fond of visiting libraries and believe that Strahov Library is perhaps the most beautiful repository of books I've ever seen.  Oh, and they have a pickled dodo bird on display in one of the library's corridors.  Yes, the now extinct dodo -- how cool is that?  Where else in the world can you see an actual dodo bird?

Strahov Monastery Library

(The Library at the Strahov Monastery)

View of Prague from Strahov monastery

(Vineyard and views of Prague from the Monastery)

Different perspective of the Strahov Monastery

(A different perspective of the monastery)

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Images (11)
  • Strahov Monastery, Prague, viewed from Petrin Hill
  • Strahov Monastery, Prague, viewed from Petrin Hill
  • Entrance to Strahov Monastery
  • Entrance to Strahov Monastery
  • Chapel at the Strahov Monastery
  • Spire of the Chapel at the Strahov Monastery
  • Strahov Library entrance
  • Strahov Library entrance
  • Strahov Monastery Library
  • View of Prague from Strahov monastery
  • Different perspective of the Strahov Monastery

Twitter: @DrFumblefinger

"We do not take a trip, a trip takes us".  John Steinbeck, from Travels with Charlie

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Comments (2)

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The dodo bird is sitting in a glass jar in the hallway outside this great library.  It's a long hallway, but it's there.

 

I'm thinking with a little recombinant DNA technology, we should be able to pull some cells from that dodo bird and bring it back to life?  (Would work if it's in formalin, but not if its in alcohol).  But maybe it's best to leave well enough alone.

Twitter: @DrFumblefinger

"We do not take a trip, a trip takes us".  John Steinbeck, from Travels with Charlie

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