Strahov monastery

The monastery was founded in 1140 by Vladislav II on the initiative of Olomouc bishop Indřich Zdik. The name of the monastery has roots from the word “guardian”. It was here that the outpost guarded the approaches to the Prague Castle. The building was rebuilt many times, as it suffered from fires and various wars and assaults. The monastery could be closed at the end of the XVIII century, when the Emperor Joseph II was ordered to close the monasteries that could not be useful to society. Then the monastery opened a library for the general public, which saved it from closing. The library contains many unique books, the oldest of which date back to the middle of the XII century. Since the XVIII century in the Strahov monastery there is a valuable collection of paintings, and in the XX century on the basis of the monastery was created an art gallery, which exhibits the best works of the XIV-XIX centuries. Since 1993, part of the collection of paintings of the museum is represented in the permanent exhibition of the Strahov Art Gallery. In addition to the permanent exhibition, the museum periodically hosts thematic exhibitions.