Hotel Monastery

This romantic and cosy hotel with unique and unforgettable view of the Prague Castle, Lesser Town and the Old Town embroidered by Vltava river, is located directly in the city center, in the peaceful garden of Strahov Monastery (National Historic Landmark, founded in 1142). The foundation of the former building of a premonstratensian wash house (economic headquarters) consists of a ground-floor house from the beginning of the 17th century. Strahov Monastery was founded in 1140 by the Premonstratensians and with its vastness, it could compete with the seat of Czech kings. After a great fire in 1258, it was rebuilt in a Gothic style and later, some Baroque touches were added. Its wonderful library in the Theological Hall and the Philosophical Hall are more than 800 years old. Despite being ransacked by soldiers of many invasive armies, it is still one of the best libraries in the Czech Republic. Strahov Monastery avoided the infamous abolishing of monasteries during the reign of Joseph II. in 1783 by changing the library into a research institute. There is a monastery and museum now. When walking down a narrow street from the Monastery, one comes to Pohořelec. It is one of the oldest parts of Hradčany, first built in 1375. Its name could be interpreted as “the place destroyed by fire”. Fire really was disastrous for it – it burnt down three times, last time in 1741. There is a large open square on the hill above the city that is part of the main access road to the Prague Castle. Houses around the square are mostly baroque and rococo. In the upper part of the square, there is Johannes Kepler Grammar School. In front of the school, there is a monument to Johannes Kepler and his predecessor in the position of astronomer in the court of Rudolph II Tycho Brahe. Brahe died in 1606 in the house that used to stand in the place of the grammar school.