Strahov Monastery

The founding

Strahov was founded in 1143 as a Premonstratensian abbey

Strahov Monastery is a Premonstratensian abbey founded in 1143 by Jindřich Zdík, Bishop John of Prague, and Vladislaus II, Duke of Bohemia. Zdík had made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1138.

1420

Citizens of Prague plundered the monastery in 1420

The monastery was attacked and plundered by the citizens of Prague in 1420. Books, articles of worship and the furnishings of church and convent were burned. It took a long time to recover.

The renewal

Abbot Jan Lohelius brought the monastery back by 1594

Jan Lohelius became abbot of Strahov in 1586. He reconstructed the church, renewed the abbey buildings, built a new dormitory and refectory, and had the gardens laid out. By 1594 a community of monks lived there once more.

1594year a twelve-member community of monks lived there again

The library

The Theological Hall library was completed in 1679

Abbot Jeroným Hirnheim built a new library in the Theological Hall, completed in 1679. The Strahov Library contains over 200,000 volumes, including over 3,000 manuscripts.

200,000volumes in the Strahov Library

1950

In 1950 the communist regime took over the monastery

In 1950 the communist regime took over the monastery, and the religious were interned and placed in civil employment. It became the Memorial of National Literature and was returned to the Premonstratensians after 1989.