Prague City Library. Clementinum in Prague - museum, library, concert hall and observation deck National Library in Prague, Czech Republic

Every student or great lover of printed literature knows how valuable the ability to use state libraries is. Below we would like to say a few words about those in the Czech Republic, and explain how you can gain access to public libraries in Prague.

Městská knihovna - State Library

Národní knihovna České republiky – National Library of the Czech Republic

Národní technická knihovna – National Technical Library

Good afternoon, dear readers! Today we will talk about an unusual place. Our destination is Clementinum in Prague. An ancient Jesuit university and a magnificent museum. In fact, this is a whole complex of museums. They are united by service to Science and Art. Today the National Library of the Czech Republic is located here and classical music concerts are held. We will “examine” all the most interesting things.

Administrative zone Prague 1. Historical district.

A huge complex of buildings, very close to, is Klementinum. The gaze immediately catches the majestic building, decorated with turrets and sculptures. After passing through Prague's Stare Mesto district, you will reach the banks of the Vltava. This interesting medieval building is located here.

The Clementinum is a square structure with several courtyards. In size it is just a little short of Prague Castle. Remember - this is a whole complex, not just one building?

The history of Clementinum has always been connected with books. The Czechs have carefully preserved the tradition: today the National Library of the Czech Republic is located here.

It all started in the 11th century with the construction of a small chapel of St. Clement. Soon the Dominican Order built a large monastery around it.

For several centuries, monks collected books on theology, art and sciences here. The library contains the most valuable ancient publications and manuscripts.

In the 16th century, the building came into the possession of the Jesuit Order and became the first Czech College of Jesuits. Thus, the Jesuits strengthened the influence of the Catholic Church in the Czech Republic.

The Clementinum building housed a university that trained followers of the order.

The Clementinum became what we see today in the middle of the 17th century, when it was rebuilt and supplemented by two outstanding masters: Františok Kanka and Kilian Dinzinghofer.

At that time, few in the Czech Republic could compete with them in the art of architecture. Both architects are famous for their Baroque buildings.

By the beginning of the 17th century, the famous Charles Library from another Jesuit university, Carolinum, was transported to the Clementinum building.

The Order gained significant influence and became rich. Then the monks began to plant and improve the areas around the main building, buying land, gardens and churches.

Museum complex

Clementinum is a real temple of science and art. There are amazing buildings here, each of which deserves the attention of a tourist. Let's start the “inspection” with the famous Mirror Chapel.

• Built in 1724, the Chapel is a Baroque building decorated with floor-to-ceiling mirrors. This design is unusual for the early 18th century, but the architect skillfully combined mirrors and elegant designs on the ceiling.

“The chapel is used for musical events and concerts. Here you can listen to organ music.”

• The second attraction on the territory of the complex is the Astronomical Observatory of 1722, which was located in the astronomical tower.

Surprisingly, after so many centuries, it is still active. Observations of stars and planets take place here.

The famous physicist and astronomer Kepler discovered his law of planetary motion here.

• The first weather station in Central Europe also operated in the astronomy tower.
• The astronomical tower itself has recently been reopened after restoration. There is an observation deck on it. The height of the tower is 68 meters, and the views from it offer beautiful views.

• Since we're talking about astronomy, I'll give you another interesting fact: on the territory of the Clementinum there are several very accurate sundials. Scientists used their readings to observe stars.

• Another interesting place is the mathematical museum. This is a historical collection of calculation equipment used by medieval mathematicians and astronomers.

Here you will learn about the life and discoveries of the greatest mathematicians of the past, and even the century before last.

Library

The famous University Library of the Clementinum also became famous for its magnificent Baroque style. Without a doubt, this room is decorated more richly than any other in the entire complex.

On the shelves of the Temple of Wisdom, as this room is commonly called, hidden treasures of knowledge: ancient handwritten volumes and the first printed editions. The library stores thousands of priceless books. Many of them exist in a single copy.

The ceilings and walls are painted with frescoes by the artist Dibel. All paintings depict two pillars of knowledge: Art and Science.

Large antique globes also decorate the hall.

• There was a time when Clementinum received the honorary title of the third largest of the world's Jesuit colleges;
• One of the inhabitants of this place, the Jesuit Conias, “became famous”, he burned 30,000 volumes recognized as “heretical publications”;
• The order's countless treasures are hidden in the basements of the Kementinum;
• Arriving in Prague, the Jesuits brought with them only one single book. The entire library collection was collected later.

Plan diagram of the Clementinum

Entrances to Clementinum:

1. Main entrance to the Clementinum from Marian Square
2. Entrance from Charles Street
3. Entrance from Crusader Square. It is now closed.

Description and distribution of premises:

1 - National Library of the Czech Republic
2 – Baroque Hall of the Library
3 – Mirror Chapel
4 - 5 Astronomical Tower of St. Clement (St. Clement)
6 – Walnut Chapel
7 – Church of St. Salvator
8 – Vineyard with a fountain
9 - Křizhovnice corridor (today the Clementinum exhibition gallery).

Working hours

• In January and February: from 10:00 to 16:30;
• From March to October: from 10:00 to 19:00;
• In November and December: from 10:00 to 18:00.

Official site: www.klementinum.com

What is the price

• For adult visitors - 220 CZK;
• Family ticket: 500 CZK (1-2 adults + 1 to 3 children)
• Reduced ticket: 140 CZK (people with disabilities, children from 8 to 18 years old, students up to 26 years old) - you must present a document.
• Children under 7 years old free

• Those who bought the Prague Card receive a 25% discount.

Concerts at the Clementinum

The most famous concerts held in the Clementinum:

• Vivaldi: Seasons - concert (25 euros);
• Classical music in the Clementinum (25 euros).

There are others from time to time; you need to check the information on the official website. There are usually no problems with purchasing tickets, and the price is standard: 25 euros.

How to get there

• By tram No. 17, 18 and also No. 53 to the very center. Stop Staroměstská. From the stop you need to walk in a straight line, parallel to the Vltava. It's not far to walk, only 5-7 minutes. Of course, Prague pleases us with signs and directions to attractions. Thanks to them you won't get lost.
• By metro to Staroměstská station. It is located next to the tram stop; see above for how to get to Clementinum.

The landmark in both cases can be the Charles Bridge. The museum is literally a stone's throw away.

Entrances to Clementium:

• Karlova 1
• Mariánske nám. 5
• Křižovnická 190 – (entrance temporarily closed)

Address: Mariánské náměstí 190/5, 110 00 Prague

Clementinum on the map

Thank you for being with us during our walk through the Clementinum! We're off to explore Prague, but in the meantime, subscribe to our new articles. We still have many interesting stories in store for travel lovers.

Among the many wonderful sights of magnificent Prague, the most notable is the Clementinum - a Jesuit college, which is a large complex of buildings in the Baroque style. It now houses the National Library of the Czech Republic.

Clementinum is located in the Old Town (Staré Město), near the famous Charles Bridge. This large-scale complex includes a number of buildings from the 18th century, the authors of which are such famous architects as Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, Carlo Lurago, Frantisek Maximilian Kanka and other representatives of the Habsburg Baroque workshop.

The total area of ​​the Clementinum is 20,000 square meters. In terms of size, this historical and architectural complex is second only to the Prague Castle fortress (Pražský hrad). A large Jesuit college was created in Prague in 1552 on the site of the medieval chapel of St. Clement. By the 17th century, Clementinum had become one of the largest Jesuit centers in the world. in 1622, the library of Charles University, the main university of the Czech Republic and the oldest university in Central Europe, was located here.

At one time, the Clementinum library contained mysterious manuscripts dating from 1404 and 1438 by an unknown author. They were written in an incomprehensible language, so all attempts to decipher them remain unsuccessful to this day. The mysterious illustrated codex was called the Voynich Manuscript and is now kept in the Yale University Library.

The historic building of the Clementinum houses half of the collection of the Czech Central Library. In total, the National Library of the Czech Republic contains about seven million different books, including 4,200 incunabula - copies of extremely rare books that were published in Europe before 1501 in small editions of 100-300 pieces.

The hall of the National Library in the Clementinum is designed in the Baroque style and is distinguished by the luxury and splendor traditional for those times. This is one of the most beautiful halls of the Clementinum, which is decorated with frescoes by Joseph Dibel.

The National Library of the Czech Republic is open to public access and currently has about 60 thousand registered readers. Throughout the history of its existence, the library at Clementinum has made enormous contributions in the field of translations of ancient manuscripts and texts. Since 1992, the modern library began to digitize the documents stored in it. In 2005, the library was awarded the UNESCO Memory of the World Prize for its contribution.

The building of the Prague City Library belongs to the municipality - anyone can visit the institution. There is no need to pay an entrance fee, electronic communications are free, as are the reading rooms. A library card is only needed if the visitor plans to take the book with him.

This library has an extensive literary collection, exhibits contemporary art and organizes concerts - it is a full-fledged cultural institution. And the building itself is an architectural landmark and has a rich history. Moreover, the institution has several branches of a non-standard format: branches operate in trucks, which are, in fact, mobile libraries.

History of the Prague Library

The Prague Public Library welcomed its first book lovers on July 1, 1891. Then she was located in another place and subsequently moved more than once. As a result, a once residential building located on the corner of Platner Street and Marianska Square and built in the Empire style was given over to the institution.

By 1922, the book collection reached approximately 250,000 volumes, and the following year the capital's insurance company decided to build its own separate premises for the establishment. Its opening was planned to coincide with the tenth anniversary of independent Czechoslovakia. The design of the new library building was designed by architect František Royt; construction began in 1925 and lasted three years. The opening ceremony took place on October 28, 1928.

The previous library building was demolished, but the basement rooms survived and have survived to this day - they are now occupied by lecture halls.

Architectural features and interior

While working on the model of the new library building, František Royt decided to resort to the neoclassical style - this made it possible to create a large and multifunctional public space. Thanks to this approach, the building was suitable for storing a book collection, and for organizing exhibitions, and for holding musical performances, and for open lectures.

In the design of the facade, Royt combined classical articulation with modern restraint - the building turned out to be externally harmonious. The corner parts of the house, equipped with a balcony balustrade and an impressive entrance, open onto the sidewalk in an arcade. The building is decorated with allegory sculptures created by Ladislav Karfanek.

The design of the interior space was carried out by famous masters of that era. Thus, the ceiling of the main hall was painted by Frantisek Kisela and looks especially original. The outstanding decoration of the house was the decorative grilles created by Karel Stiepl, a sculptor and architect. And the artist and graphic artist Josef Seipka worked on the stained glass windows.

Interiors with original, original design can now be found in the information center of the library and its theater department. Despite the fact that the designers did not skimp on decorative elements, in general the interior is decorated simply, unobtrusively and remains appropriate, meeting the purpose of the building.

The neoclassical building of the public library fits well with the architectural ensemble of the location where it is located. In the immediate vicinity are the early Baroque Clementinum and the New Town Hall, built in the Secession style. These three buildings form a single and integral architectural group, where each building emphasizes the stylistic features of the others.

Arrangement and modernization of the library

Since the building was in a certain sense ahead of its time, its full potential was realized in the seventies. During 1996–1998, modernization was carried out, caused by new requirements of the time: rooms for working with multimedia and computer equipment appeared.
A couple of years earlier, library visitors received exhibition spaces at their disposal, and after all the reconstruction in the late nineties, the gallery was equipped with a new entrance.

Curious facts

The library building is the second largest among Prague buildings; excursions are even offered here. It is noteworthy not only for its design and collection of books, but also for its significance for the social and political life of the Czech capital. The fact is that 20% of the premises of the house are occupied by the residence of the mayor.

At the entrance to the building there is an unusual sculptural composition representing eight thousand volumes that are glued together. There are mirrors in the lower and upper parts - they create a spatial effect and visually enlarge the book tower many times over.

The Prague Public Library adorns the city space, combining modernity and classicism - in this way it is similar to Prague itself. A stylish and characteristic building always attracts the attention of tourists and leaves a good impression on excursionists.

How to get there

The closest metro station to the library is Staroměstská. The nearby tram stop has the same name, where daytime trams No. 2, 17, 18 and night trams No. 93 go.

Prague is rich in a wide variety of attractions and places that you, as a guest of the Czech capital, simply must visit. But today we will talk about the Clementinum - a whole complex of Baroque buildings that once housed a Jesuit college and now houses the National Library of the Czech Republic. The complex is spread over a huge area and is the second largest after Prague Castle.

It includes several public buildings dating back to the 18th century:

• • Mirror Chapel (built in 1724)
  • Mathematical Museum (erected in 1752)

• Astronomical Observatory (1722)
• University Library (1727)
• The weather station, which was the first in Central Europe, was opened in 1751. Since 1775, temperature measurements have been taken here daily; Here the great scientist Kepler discovered the laws of planetary motion.

Outstanding masters of the Habsburg Baroque worked on the design of each building: Frantisek Kanka, Kilian Dinzinghofer, and Carlo Lurago.

The name “Clementinum” is most closely associated with the name of St. Clement (Clement), in whose honor a chapel was erected on this site in the 11th century. The Dominican Order soon built its monastery near it.

Clementinum in the 16th century

In the 16th century, the Jesuit order became increasingly influential. Already in 1552 in Prague they built the Jesuit College (by the end of the 17th century it had become one of the largest centers for training Jesuits in the world). In the same century, the Jesuits tried to strengthen the Catholic faith by arriving at the monastery of St. Clement. As the importance and wealth of the order increased, so did the importance of the Clementinum, which soon became a real competitor to the Carolinum, considered the core of the legendary Charles University.

17th century in the history of the complex

Despite the fact that in the first third of the 17th century the Jesuits were expelled from Carolinum and Clementinum, they successfully returned here in 1620 to prove their power and influence with renewed vigor. Upon their return, they moved the priceless library of Charles University to the Clementinum.

The influence and wealth of the Jesuits allowed them to purchase land around the Clementinum, gradually erecting new buildings and planting gardens on it. As a result, 2 gardens and 30 buildings, including churches, became part of the complex, which was designed in the Baroque style. During Classicism, the buildings were enlarged and modernized.

Library in Baroque style

The Baroque library, created here in 1722, has not been altered and reflects the structure of libraries of that time. It is considered one of the most beautifully decorated rooms in the entire complex. The hall, where hundreds of thousands of valuable books are stored, is decorated with frescoes by master Joseph Dibel, which depict Art and Science. The paintings placed on the dome of the library represent the Temple of Wisdom.

If you look over the windows, you can see images of famous Jesuits in the triangles. The center of the hall is decorated with huge globes.

• Clementinum was once recognized as the third largest Jesuit college in the world;
• One of the Jesuits, Conias, burned about 30,000 volumes of “heretical publications” here;
• During the Revolution of 1848, the complex served as a fortress for students;
• There is a version that after, on the instructions of the Pope, the Jesuit Order was dissolved in 1773, the Jesuits walled up their wealth in one of the cellars of the Clementinum;
• The Jesuits brought only one book with them to Prague. During the reconstruction of the library, this figure was increased to 20 thousand copies.
• In 2005, Clementinum was included in the Memory of the World register.