Since the monastery was established in 1143, it has survived fires, wars, revolutions, and the wrath of various regimesBy (Mrs) Amb Narinder Chauhan
The impressive State ceremonies during the visit of the Indian President to the Czech Republic in September 2018 were held at the majestic Prague Castle.The hallowed precincts of the Prague Castle were witness to the historic visit, taking place at that level after a gap of 20 years, which not only upgraded relations since the breakup of former Czechoslovakia in 1989, but also saw the signing of several state agreements and the forging of a political bonding reminiscent of the bygone era. I had the privilege to be a first-hand witness to this.
To lend a cultural element to the State visit, I accompanied the honored guests to the other equally well-known landmark of Prague, the Strahov monastery which left an indelible print on the minds of all the members of the Presidential delegation.
During a tour of this cultural gem, the delegation was informed by the hosts that the Strahov Monastery was founded in 1143 by JindrichZdik, Bishop John of Prague, and Vladislaus II, Duke of Bohemia. It was constructed near the path leading to the prince’s castle,at a site where guards stood watch (the name Strahovis derived from the Czech word ‘strahavat’, to stand guard). It was formed when a community of Premonstratensian monks, followers of the teachings of St Augustinefrom the Rhine valley, settled in Strahov.
The hosts explained the architectural details by stating that the monastery was built as an extensive Romanesque complex that was larger than the nearby residence of the Bohemian kings, popularly known as the Prague Castle. After it was damaged by fire in 1258, the monastery was restored in the early Gothic style. With the Hussite movement, the significance of the monastery waned until it was revived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. It was rebuilt in the Baroque style after the Thirty Years war. It included the Church, the Library and the Gallery.
Apart from the eclectic medieval historical background,the delegates also learnt of the more modern events surrounding the monastery which survived the vicissitudes of history until 1950, when it was taken over by the communist regime. We were informed that during this period the religious were interned and placed in civil employment, very few being able to work in the clerical administration as priests of the diocese. Further, the monastery was subjected to thorough archeological research and transformed into the Memorial of National Literature. During the archeological research the long since forgotten Romanesque form of the monastery was revealed and reconstructed in a sensitive way.
It was further learnt that after the fall of the communist regime in 1989, the monastery was returned to the Premonstratensian Order, which saw a costly reconstruction of the building. By 1994 the Church had been restored, the Strahov picture gallery newly built, and the Strahov Library renewed.
The Presidential delegation soon surmised that although the spires of the Strahov’s basilica stand out on the beautiful Prague skyline, its priceless treasures are contained within. The monastery’s ground plan is in the shape of an irregular quadrilateral, with the abbey of the Assumption of Our Lady located in the Centre. Its overwhelmingly Baroque interior is decorated with frescoes depicting the life of St Norbert. The church belongs to the Roman Catholic Church. It is here that the impressive tour of the monastery by the Indian Presidential delegation began.
No doubt, the Presidential delegation was mesmerized with the serene, meditative quality of the area surrounded by the monastery, but what impressed the distinguished delegates most was the period library, one of the most beautiful in the world which comprises one of the oldest monastic collections in the country. The Strahov library is made up of two wonderful Halls, the Theological and Philosophical Halls, which, despite ransacking by the invading armies, house over 200,000 volumes, of which 3000 are original manuscripts, and several baroque and Rococo paintings.
TheTheological Hall with its attractive stucco work contains mostly literature of theological nature and thousands of editions of the Bible. The oldest book in the library is a 9th century book of Gospels printed on the parchment. The outsized Dutch astrological and geographical globes that it houses aroused much curiosity of the Indian President, his respected wife and daughter who carefully heard their significance that was explained in detail by the hosts.
The delegation was awestruck by the large Philosophical Hall which is decorated with frescoes depicting the spiritual development of mankind, painted by Anton Maulbertsch. We all craned our necks to see its famous walnut bookcases that rose to the ceiling. This striking hall is so famous that it has often been visited by leading personalities of the day. The oldest visitors book contains names such as Admiral Horatio Nelson and the Austrian princess Marie Luisa, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. The new ones contain the name of the current Indian President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind who also presented carefully selected Indian books as gifts to the library.
Supported by the grant of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech government, digitalization of the most valuable manuscripts and prints of the Strahov Library was started in 1991. The Strahov Picture gallery has been growing since the 1830s and features a remarkable collection of central European art, which the delegates saw with a very deep sense of appreciation.
Since the monastery was established in 1143, it has survived fires, wars, revolutions, and the wrath of various regimes, but whenever the members of the order could not live in the monastery buildings, they gathered in other places until they were allowed to return. The Indian president and the delegation learnt that currently, around 70 monks live a quiet life there.
However, the Strahov monastery does not rest on its historical laurels. The Presidential delegation was very happy to know that the monastery’s magnificent halls and inimitable atmosphere have served as the backdrop for Hollywood blockbusters. The library, for instance, can be spotted in the horror film “From Hell” starring Johnny Depp and in the Bond film “Casino Royale” starring Daniel Craig. Everyone decided to watch the movies again to sense the magic that the monastery could have created on the silver screen!
The monastery complex is a large, impressive building situated at the back of Petrin Hill and Prague Castle. This elevated area of the city offers visitors a calm oasis, somewhere to stroll around, enjoy views over the Lesser Town and indeed the whole of Prague, and to visit one of the city’s finest churches and the best library. The Indian Presidential delegation took away with them very happy memories of their visit to Strahov monastery and Prague, undoubtedly the most beautiful places to visit north of Italy. I have an entire album of pictures of the visit.
(The author is a former Indian ambassador and former envoy to the EU. Twitter:@nchauhanifs Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of Financial Express Online. Reproducing this content without permission is prohibited).
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