Strahov Monastery, Prague, Czech Republic, 2015

The Monastery of the Premonstratensian Order at Strahov in Prague has a history reaching back to the 12th century and is a listed National Cultural Monument of the Czech Republic. The monastery was founded during the reign of King Vladislav II on the impetus of the Bishop of Olomouc Jindřich Zdík. The monastery acquired its current Baroque appearance in the years between 1671 and 1674, when an extensive rebuilding was carried out according to design by the architect Giovanni Domenico Orsi. Additional alterations were carried out in 1742 by the architect-builder Anselmo Lurago. The beginnings of today’s library of the Strahov monastery can be placed in the era of Giovanni Domenico Orsi’s rebuilding work. Visitors to the Philosophical Hall are immediately drawn to the painting on its ceiling titled, “The Spiritual Progress of Mankind” by the artist Franz Anton Maulbertsch, who was assisted by his pupil Martin Michl. The artist worked on the painting from April till October 1794. The book collection of the Philosophical Hall library contains works on history, theology, poetry and liturgical texts.