Strahov Monastery in the Czech Republic, Prague resort
Rating: 8,6/10 (2564 votes)  The Strahov Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries of the Premonstrant Order in the world. The monastery was erected on a hill, in the place where the guards stood guarding the approaches to the Prague Castle. In 1140 Vladislav II founded a monastery of the Order of Premonstrants on this place. The church and monastery were founded at the initiative of Bishop Indrich. Initially, the monastery buildings were wooden, but by 1143 stone replaced wood. The monastery owned vineyards and rich arable land, as well as meadows and forests. Warehouses and barns at that time occupied a larger area of the complex than temples and cells. The monastery was originally built in the Romanesque style, but over the centuries the monastery was rebuilt several times. The most large-scale reconstruction was carried out in the 17th century, in the Baroque style. In 1258, during a fire, some of the buildings were completely destroyed, however, they were soon replaced by early Gothic buildings. About a century later, during the construction of fortifications, the monastery was annexed to Prague Castle by Charles IV. During the Hussite wars, the monastery, like most other buildings in Prague, was badly damaged. In the 50s of the last century, archaeological excavations were carried out on the territory of the monastery, during which the remains of monastery buildings dating back to the Roman era were discovered. The main attraction of the monastery is the ancient library located in the Philosophical and Theological Halls. This building appeared in 1783 as a result of the reconstruction of the former barn. In the 18th century, the monastery was threatened with closure. Emperor Joseph II created a decree according to which all monasteries that do not benefit society should be closed. At that time, the monastery was managed by Abbot Vaclav Mayer, who found his bearings instantly. He opened public access to all the books of the monastery, and in record time built a new building for the library. The main entrance to the monastery passes through a beautiful baroque gate, decorated with a sculpture of St. Norbert. Born in Nadrenia in 1080, Norbert is believed to have been a regular canon. In 1120, deciding to lead a life based only on the gospel, he founded the order of the Premonstratensian. After a while, Norbert was appointed Archbishop of Magdeburg, after which he took up the renewal of church life.    We also recommend reading Old royal palace in Bohemia, Prague spa Topic: Strahov Monastery in the Czech Republic, Prague resort. |
