Clementinum

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The Clementinum (Czech: Klementinum) is a historic complex of buildings in Prague which houses the National Library of the Czech Republic.

Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries; the City Library was also nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. In 2009, the Technical library and the Municipal library moved to the

Its history dates from the existence of a

The National Library was founded in 1781 and from 1782 the Clementinum was a

For several years before 2006, there was an ongoing debate on the possibilities of expanding the space for future library collections, as space in the current Clementinum buildings was expected to reach its limit by 2010. On 10 Jan 2006, the Prague authorities decided to sell the city-owned property located in the area of Letná, near the centre of Prague, to the National Library. In Spring 2006, an international architectural design competition for the new building was put up. The architect who won the competition was Jan Kaplický, but the decision was overruled, so the Czech National Library is still waiting for its final project.

In 2005, the Czech National Library received the

Curiosities

• At one time the Clementinum was known as the third largest
  Jesuit
  college in the world.
• The oldest weather recording in the area of the Czech lands started in Clementinum in the year 1775. The recording continues through the present day.^[2]
• The Clementinum is mentioned in "The Secret Miracle" by Jorge Luis Borges. The main character has a dream of the library of Clementinum where the librarians look for God in the books of the library. One of the librarians says: God is in one of the letters of one of the pages of one of the four hundred thousand books of Clementinum. My fathers and the fathers of my fathers have looked for this letter; I myself have gone blind looking for it. So, a reader enters and delivers an atlas for the main character, saying that this atlas is useless. The main character opens the book at random, and find a map of India, touching one of its minimum letters and, then, finds God.
• The Baroque library hall inside Clementinum is known for its beautiful interior, including ceiling artwork by Jan Hiebl.

Gallery

• 
  Prague Clementinum seen from top floor, where Slavic library is situated.
• 
  Entrance to the building from Křižovnická street.
• 
  The Mirror Chapel.
• 
  Inside the Clementinum, Old Town, Prague.
• 
  Wall with sundials, inside the Clementinum
• 
  Astronomical tower.

See also

• List of early modern universities in Europe
• List of Jesuit sites
• Strahov Monastery

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Clementinum Prague.

• National Library of the Czech Republic
• The History of Clementinum (in English)
• Virtual tour

50°05′12″N 14°24′59″E / 50.08667°N 14.41639°E / 50.08667; 14.41639