| Founded in 1143 during the reign of Prince Vladislav II, Strahov Monastery (Strahovské nádvoří) is a large Premonstratensian abbey situated between Prague Castle and Petřín Hill. The Strahov Monastery complex includes the Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, one of the most beautiful churches in Prague; the world-famous Strahov Library; the Strahov Art Gallery, featuring 200 paintings from the 14th to 20th century, including the renowned Strahov Madonna; and the Strahov Abbey Gardens, a tranquil green oasis with its own vineyard, from where visitors can enjoy magnificent views over the Lesser Town below, and the whole of Prague beyond. Strahov Monastery was established for the Premonstratensians, followers of the teachings of St. Augustine, and even today it is primarily a place where the community of Premonstratensian brothers live and work.
In 1258, it was destroyed by fire, and rebuilt in the Gothic style, with further work undertaken during the Baroque period.
The Monastery Basilica is the spiritual centre of the Abbey. It was built as a three-nave Romanesque basilica, but its current form includes a Gothic transept and two Renaissance towers with Baroque modifications. The interior walls are decorated with frescoes depicting scenes from the life of St Norbert, the founder of the order.
The Strahov Library halls – the Theological and Philosophical – date from the 17th and 18th centuries, and are considered among the most beautiful in the world. The Library contains 16,000 books, comprising one of the oldest monastic book collections in the country. This despite ransacking by several invading armies over the years. Strahov Library also boasts a collection of globes dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries.
Food and Drink: In the grounds of the Monastery is an interesting underground restaurant, Na Pekle, built into the Petrin bedrock. Nearby is the Strahov Monastery Brewery (Klášterní Pivovar Strahov), which has both indoor and outdoor seating areas. It brews and serves its own Saint Norbert beer, which includes light and dark lagers and IPAs. The brewery serves Czech food too, dishes like pork schnitzel and beef goulash. Tickets to all public areas of the Strahov Monastery complex can be purchased on the day from the Ticket Office.
The Strahov Monastery complex and the area surrounding it has a serene, meditative quality. You can feel the history of its foundations all around. It was once a hidden gem of Prague, perhaps not so now, but all the same, visitors will feel fortunate to have discovered it. | 
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