Clementinum, one of world’s most beautiful libraries, launches new Baroque tour
Starting this Saturday, visitors to Prague’s Clementinum will be able to enjoy a new Baroque tour at the Czech National Library’s historic complex. The route will take visitors to the Clementinum Astronomical Tower and Baroque Library, which are otherwise inaccessible to the public.
Prague’s Clementinum, located just a few steps from Charles Bridge, serves as the seat of the Czech National Library, the largest and oldest public library in the country.
The former Jesuit College is one of the most beautifully preserved masterpieces of Baroque art in the Czech capital, but despite its location in the centre of the city, it is somewhat overlooked by tourists, says the library’s director, Jaroslav Foltýn:
“The Clementinum stands in the centre of the city roughly midway between Prague Castle and the Old Town Square. Unfortunately, tourists interested in visiting the premises often got lost because the main road between the two sites leads through Charles Street, along Clementinum’s outer wall.
“We would like to change this in the future and would like to attract more tourists not only from the Czech Republic but also from abroad. That’s why we have decided to enter into cooperation with Prague City Tourism, which has loads of experience in this respect.”
Prague City Tourism, the official destination management organisation of the City of Prague, currently operates eight of Prague’s major tourist sites, including the Old Town Hall and Petřín lookout tower and mirror maze.
Its new tourist route in the Clementinum will focus mainly on its Baroque features, says the organisation’s spokeswoman Klára Janderová:
“The new route will take visitors to places that are not accessible on their own, which is why it can only be undertaken with a qualified guide from Prague City Tourism.
“Visitors will discover the Baroque Library Hall, the Astronomical Tower, as well as the Meridian hall which offers a view of the late Renaissance astronomical mechanism from the time of Rudolph’s Prague.”
The Baroque Library, one of the highlights of the tour, has been described as the most beautiful library hall in the world. It contains over seven million items, including rare old prints and manuscripts. The most precious one, the Vyšehrad Codex, dates back to before the year 1085.
Another highlight is the ascent to the gallery of the longest continuously measuring meteorological station in the Czech lands. Regular measurements at the observatory began as late as 1752.
However, the aim of the new tour is to present the building not only as a historical monument, but also as a living complex used by scientists and students.
The Clementinum Astronomical Tower and Baroque Library tour lasts approximately 50 minutes. It can be purchased within the so-called Prague Visitor Pass, which provides access to dozens of Prague attractions and also serves as a public transport ticket.
