Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tury later it was the largest building in the city after Prague Castle. When the Jesuits
fell out with the pope in 1773, it became part of Charles University.
The baroque
Library Hall
(1727), magnificently decorated with ornate gilded
carvings and a ceiling fresco depicting the Temple of Wisdom, houses thousands of
theological volumes dating back to 1600. Also dating from the 1720s, the
Astro-
Atlas and was used as an observatory until the 1930s; it houses a display of 18th-cen-
tury astronomical instruments.
140Kč ; 10am-7pm, tours hourly Mon-Thu, every 30min Fri-Sun)
dates from the 1720s and
is an ornate confection of gilded stucco, marbled columns, fancy frescoes and ceiling
mirrors - think baroque on steroids. Concerts of classical music are held here daily
(tickets are available at most ticket agencies).
There are two other interesting churches in the Klementinum. The
Church of St
Sun)
, lavishly redecorated in the baroque style from 1711 to 1715 to plans by Kilian
Dientzenhofer, is now a Greek Catholic chapel. Conservatively dressed visitors are
welcome to attend the services. And then there's the elliptical
Chapel of the As-
bevzetí Panny Marie; )
, built in 1600 for the Italian artisans who worked on the Kle-
mentinum (it's still technically the property of the Italian government).
THE ROYAL WAY
The Royal Way (Královská cesta) was the ancient processional route followed
by Czech kings on their way to St Vitus Cathedral for coronation. The route
leads from the
Powder Gate
(Prašná brána) along Celetná, through the Old
Town Square and Little Square (Malé náměstí), along Karlova (Charles St) and
across
Charles Bridge
to Malá Strana Square (Malostranské náměstí), before
climbing up Nerudova to the castle. The only procession that makes its way
along these streets today is the daily crush of tourists shouldering their way past
a gauntlet of gaudy souvenir shops and bored-looking leaflet touts.
