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TheClementinum (Czech:Klementinum) is a historic complex of buildings inPrague which houses theNational 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 moved to thePrague National Technical Library at Technická 6.[1] TheMunicipal library is located in the adjacent building on Mariánské Náměstí, where you'll find the famous Idiom installation (known as thebook tower) in the foyer.
Its history dates from the existence of achapel dedicated to Saint Clement in the 11th century. A Dominicanmonastery was founded in themedieval period, which was strongly damaged in1420 during thehussite wars and later transformed in1556 to aJesuit college. In1622 the Jesuits transferred thelibrary ofCharles University to the Clementinum, and the college was merged with the University in1654. The main building phase of Clementinum was between the years1709-1726 during which for example the Baroque library was built. The Jesuits remained until theirsuppression in1773, when the Clementinum was established as anobservatory, library, and university by the EmpressMaria Theresa of Austria.
The National Library was founded in 1781 and from 1782 the Clementinum was alegal deposit library.
In 1791, the Clementinum was the site of the firstWorld's Fair.[2][3][4] This industrial exhibition was held to celebrate the coronation ofLeopold II as king ofBohemia, and served to highlight the sophistication of manufacturing inCzech lands during that period.[5]
In 1918 the newly establishedCzecho-Slovak state took over the library. Since 1990, it has been the National Library. It contains a collection ofMozartiana, material pertaining toTycho Brahe andComenius, as well as historic examples ofCzech literature. Thearchitecture is a notable example ofBaroque architecture and the Clementinum, covering 20,000 square metres, is the second largest complex of buildings in Prague afterPrague Castle.
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 ofLetná, near the centre of Prague, to the National Library. In Spring 2006, an internationalarchitectural design competition for the new building was put up. The architect who won the competition wasJan 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 theUNESCOJikji prize (Memory of the World).
Since 2023Prague City Tourism, a. s., a company owned by the City of Prague, runs thebaroque route in the Clementinum which includes the Baroque library and the Astronomical tower.
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