Klementinum

The Klementinum in Prague is an impressive Baroque complex that originally served as a Jesuit college and now houses the National Library of the Czech Republic as well as the Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences. The second-largest building complex in the city after Prague Castle, it sits right next to Charles Bridge and covers about five acres. Here you can marvel at historic treasures, including the Baroque Library Hall, St. Clement's Church, the Church of the Holy Savior, the Mirror Chapel, and the Astronomical Tower. The site has a rich scientific and cultural history, from its elevation to a university in the 17th century to its takeover by the Crown after the dissolution of the Jesuit order in the 18th century. Of particular note is the Mozarteum, the oldest Mozart memorial in the world, which is part of the music library. The state protects this ensemble as a National Cultural Monument, and despite the threat of flooding from the Vltava, it remains a central center of education and scholarship in the Old Town.