The Klementinum is a large building complex that stretches across an entire city block. Since the 15th century, astronomers, scientists, philosophers and musicians have poured through its door to study the precious books inside. These great men of science and art came together here. Each influenced the other and developed some of the modern era’s most incredible inventions. The Klementinum is home to several important institutions, including the National Library of the Czech Republic. But it is also an architectural and cultural treasure. With its stunning Baroque facade, beautiful courtyards, and intricate decoration, the Klementinum is a true feast for the eyes. So, join us as we discover the hidden gems and hidden stories of this beautiful complex.

Table Of Contents

1. Access & Admission
2. History
3. Great Mirror Chapel
4. 2nd Floor
5. The Great Library
6. The Bookshelves
7. Globes
8. The Meridian Hall
9. Viewpoint

Access & Admission

The only way to get into the libraries is by a guided tour (unless you’re a Czech scholar). These run about every hour and are worth every penny! For tour times and hours, visit their website.

To find the entrance to the tour, you walk through a small set of wooden doors near the church. Inside you will see a ticket booth with a cramped employee sitting behind the glass. After purchasing your ticket, you wait for your tour guide. Once they arrive, you’ll be whisked off throughout this gorgeous building.

Tickets cost: 300 Kc for Adults ($13 USD), 200 Kc ($9 USD) for Students and Seniors and children are free.

History

The Klementinum dates all the way back to the 11th century. It was formerly a tiny chapel dedicated to Saint Clement run by Dominican monks. The Hapsburg Emperor Ferdinand I wanted to help increase his power within the Roman Catholic Church and in Bohemia (now Prague). To do this, he invited the Jesuits into his city.

Wanting to make them feel more at home and give them some sense of importance, the Emperor gifted them the building now known as the Klementinum. It had a prime location, right across from the Charles Bridge, and was an excellent gift for the order.

In 1556, the library’s development began. By 1653 they had managed to build one of the most significant collections of books and the literary material in Europe. When the entire library was finished, it was the most massive building in Prague, after Prague Castle. Eventually, the Jesuits fell out with the Pope. So in 1773, the library was given over to Prague’s people and became a part of Charles University.

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Great Mirror Chapel

The first room that the guide will take you into is the Great Mirror Chapel. The architecture of the Klementinum varies from room to room, as different parts of the building were built during different periods. This room, however, is an excellent example of Baroque architecture. The Mirror Chapel was built in 1724 and features ornate frescoes, mirrors, the ceiling, and intricate gilded stucco. The rust-coloured walls and peach-painted ceiling are a unique touch. They make the chamber glow and make the visitor feel warm and cozy.

The faux marble columns along the walls each contain a beautifully framed work of art. These works of art were primarily created by Jan Hiebl, a Czech artist of little note. But Hiebl made a significant impression on the people who visit this chapel. One of the most important things to look at here is the two organs. The first was played by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on his visits to the Klementinum.

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This chapel can also be visited if you buy tickets to one of their “Classical Concerts.” These concerts are a fantastic option for visiting the Klementinum outside a guided tour. You will be treated to music from the 18th century played on the historic organ during the show. Usually performed by gifted local musicians. The very same organ played by Mozart himself now hosts new talented musicians hoping to become the following great composer!

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2nd Floor

After soaking in all the beauty inside the chapel, your guide leads up the first set of narrow stairs to the 2nd floor. This is where the historic library is housed. On the way to the library, you pass by various glass cabinets of curiosity. These different house instruments are used by astronomers to explore the skies, track weather and map constellations.

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The corridor is covered in ornate stucco, and the ceiling contains frescoes. Each scene is drawn from prominent literary writings, like echoes of the past, leading you down toward your destination.

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Although you can’t walk inside the library and pick up any books, there are various special volumes under the glass. These examples give you a glimpse of the books you’d find on the shelves within. Each one is masterfully handpainted with perfect calligraphy and illustration on every page. Monks would spend a lifetime creating a few copies of the same book. They would disperse the copies to only a few prestigious libraries worldwide.

The Great Library

As the guide leads you to the only open set of doors, you will be immediately taken aback by the tremendous amount of things to look at inside the Great Library. The shelves housing over 20,000 books from the early 17th century onwards are a stunning display. There is a sea of baroque finishings washing over the walls.

The ceiling features a large fresco, an original part of 18th-century design. The paintings on the ceiling depict the Temple of Wisdom, a city from Greek Mythology, which was thought to have housed thousands of theological volumes dating back to 1600. Jan Hiebl, the same artist who painted the frescos in the Mirror Chapel, also did these frescos. He uses light and shadow to create a domed effect even on the flat ceiling. Hiebl spent tireless hours giving the illusion of natural sunlight pouring into space despite natural light being restricted to protect the books from damage.

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The Bookshelves

The bookshelves are carved from stunning dark wood, which shines even in the dim light. Some columns are carved into spirals, topped off with gold capitals. Above the tops of each bookshelf are golden frames with the names of prominent Jesuits inscribed on them. These Jesuits were the people who helped build this impressive library.

The books in the collection consist mainly of theological volumes in various foreign languages. It also contains a Mozartiana, a book about the life of Tycho Brahe and Comenius. You’d also find historical examples of famous Czech literature. Some of the collections’ books are so rare and unique that they have been given to Google to be digitally preserved online for everyone to see.

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Globes

In the centre of the room are various globes of different sizes, displaying historical diagrams and maps of the world. You can see how opinions have changed throughout the years on the map of the world. The shapes of continents would grow or shrink based on the newest technology or information. There are also several sets of celestial globes to be found here. Celestial spheres show the position of the stars in the sky.

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The Meridian Hall

Although you might not want to leave, eventually, the tour guide must move on. You are taken to the next floor, which contains Meridian Hall. The Meridian Hall was an invention designed to determine and mark twelve noon. When the scientists inside would see that noon had come (based on their instruments), they would ring the bells from the top of the bell tower. This would indicate to the rest of the town that it was midday. Alongside the Meridian Hall is several weather recording devices that note the temperature as early as 1775. These are even still used today to continue to record the weather.

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Viewpoint

You can mount the final, very narrow, rickety set of stairs to walk out onto the bell tower. You must climb up 172 steps to get to the top of the building. But you’ll be rewarded with a stunning 360° view of Prague’s red-topped roofs.

Being up here helps you understand where everything is in Prague. You can see all the important landmarks, and bronze diagrams help identify all the famous buildings you’re looking down at. This was so helpful since we’d see something far off in the distance and want to make a note of tracking it down once back on land.

Seeing as the tour group is so small, you have this view all to yourself once the group spreads out. It was so romantic and truly an oasis of serenity in a city which can be overwhelming and full of tourists.

A massive bronze sculpture of Atlas holds up the world on the very top of the bell tower. On our way out, we looked at the top of the tower from where we were once standing. The Klementinum and the Strahov Monastery are my two favourite landmarks in Prague. You MUST visit them if you’re ever in the city, especially if you’re a library lover like me!

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Although you might expect the vault to be coloured green, the name comes from an altogether different reference. During its construction, the columns and bases that held up the vaulted ceiling inside were painted green. Hence the name the “Green Vault.” A German Emerald city.

Table Of Contents

1. History
2. Tickets
3. The Great Green Vault Robbery 
4. The Vorgewölbe (Entrance Foyer)
5. The Bernsteinkabinett (Amber Cabinet)
6. The Elfenbeinzimmer (Ivory Room)
7. The Weißsilberzimmer (Silver Room or White Silver Room)
8. The Silbervergoldete Zimmer (Silver Gilt Room)
9. The Pretiosensaal (Pretiosa Room or Hall of Treasures)
10. The Wappenzimmer (Coats of Arms Room, Heraldry Room)
11. The Juwelenzimmer (Jewel Chamber)
12. The Bronzezimmer (Bronze Room)

History

Augustus the Strong was the ruler of Saxony and lived in Dresden in the 18th century. Augustus was a very wealthy man and adored his city. He spent time, money and effort to make Dresden the jewel of all Europe. The King wanted the best artists from all over the world to congregate there to live, work and create commissions for his kingdom.

Today, Dresden is not as well known as Florence or Berlin, but in the 18th century, it was referred to as the Venice of the Elbe. Augustus’ had some of the finest jewellers, metalworkers and artists working round the clock to create treasures that would rival any royal collection worldwide. But the treasurer’s served a practical purpose in addition to looking so beautiful. They were an expression of wealth and absolutist power to any visiting officials that spoke volumes of Dresden’s regime.

WWII

Dresden was very heavily bombed during WWII. But early warnings allowed the King’s men to hide the treasures in a fortress far away from the ruined city. Alas, this did not keep them safe forever. When the Red Army invaded, they stole the collection and brought it as a prize to Moscow and Kyiv. After years and years of negotiation, the pieces were returned to Dresden.

During the years of negotiation, the city of Dresden set about reconstructing the Green Vault. And in 2005, the collections and restored interiors were returned to the public. The baroque galleries and ornate displays have all been rebuilt in the same brilliant style. Today, you can walk through the rooms just as hundreds of people have done years before.

Tickets

The lineup for tickets to these galleries was intense. Only so many tickets are allotted per hour to limit the number of people they let inside. To ensure you get to visit, you can always buy your tickets online in advance. You can buy a single ticket to the Green Vault or a combined ticket to the Royal Palace that will also get you admission to the New Green Vault, Turkish Chamber, Renaissance Wing, Hall of the Giants, Royal State Apartments of August the Strong and the Porcelain Cabinet, Firearms Gallery and special exhibitions in the Kupferstich-Kabinett.

Prices: Green Vault Adults €14.00 | Combined Ticket €24.50

We arrived a little before our designated ticket time, so we enjoyed our coffee while perusing the large art bookstore inside the museum. This place was a dream; there were hundreds of art books, paper doll collections, postcards, jewellery pieces, and more. It was probably my favourite bookstore we visited on our entire trip. I could have just lived here.

The Great Green Vault Robbery 

Another reason that they are so strict about limiting the numbers inside the green vault is due to the modern-day robbery that took place here in 2019. On November 25th, a collection of royal jewellery was stolen from the museum. Included in the heist was a 49-carat Dresden White Diamond, the diamond-laden breast star of the Polish Order of the White Eagle, which belonged to the King of Poland, a hat clasp with a 16-carat diamond, a diamond epaulette, and a diamond-studded hilt containing nine large and 770 smaller diamonds, along with a matching scabbard. Thankfully, the collection’s most significant treasure, the green diamond, was away on loan at the MET Gallery in New York.

The worth of stolen items was valued at over €1 billion! But it was the cultural significance that was truly priceless. The Green Vault closed its doors to the public after the theft. Thankfully, in 2022 thirty-one of the stolen items were recovered by the German authorities. Today, the museum plans to reopen in February 2023 to allow guests back inside to see the collection again.

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The Vorgewölbe (Entrance Foyer)

Before entering the museum, you must enter a large waiting room, which features an introductory audio program. Also in this room are various pieces from the collection that aren’t currently displayed in the gallery. Also in this gallery are photos of the Green Vault taken before WWII. This gives you an idea of the extent of destruction and reconstruction required to bring this place back to life after the Dresden bombings.

Also included in the waiting area, are a collection of enamel works from Limoges and other ceramics that date back to the Middle Ages and early Renaissance.

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No Photo Policy

You are not allowed to take pictures inside the gallery. A policy which always pains me. But especially after the rubbery, they are so careful about the security of this precious museum. But in not allowing you to take photos, you are forced to truly immerse yourself without distraction into exploring the collection.

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The Displays

When it was time to enter the gallery, you approached a set of glass doors with your ticket and were quickly given a once-over by security. Then you walk through a dust-proof double door which sucks out all the air from your entering before opening the second set of doors. This is because everything isn’t behind glass when you are in the gallery. The tiny pieces of the collection are displayed on gilt shelves, which hover like flying carpets against mirrored walls, just as the King once displayed them.

The Bernsteinkabinett (Amber Cabinet)

The first room you enter after exiting the spaceship-like dust-proof room is the Bernsteinkabinett or the Amber Cabinet room. The exhibit includes 16th-century vessels, bowls, ceremonial cutlery and statuettes produced in the amber workshops in Königsberg and Danzig. Amber art was thought to be the most luxurious of all the art forms, so it was no surprise that it found its way into royal chambers.

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The King of Prussia gave many of the pieces to Augustus the Strong. Prussia was then famous for its skilled Amber sculptures. The small Amber Cabinet, the showpiece of this room, was one of those gifts. Its incredible handwork is astonishing. The tiny amber drawers with inlaid gold are fantastic. There is something about Amber’s art that is transfixing. It swirls and changes shape as the light reflects upon its glasslike surface.

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The Elfenbeinzimmer (Ivory Room)

After the Amber room, you enter the Elfenbeinzimmer (the Ivory Room). Save for a few numbered plaques, this room almost doesn’t feel like a museum. It only feels like you’re walking through a beautiful house you’ve been invited into. The small groups allow the space not to feel overcrowded. Everyone respects the silence, and despite being a touristy place, it does feel relatively peaceful.

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Atop all the shelves were a variety of small carved statues made from pure ivory. The ivory towers with impossibly tiny spirals inside are still one of the most amazing pieces of art and engineering. I cannot imagine how skilful and still those hands who made that must be. The bright white ivory is set against dark terracotta marble and a rich red and black tiled floor. Creating the most luxurious juxtaposition.

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The Weißsilberzimmer (Silver Room or White Silver Room)

The next room is the Weißsilberzimmer (the White Silver Room). This room displays some of the finest examples of silver plates, flatware, buffets, oversized silver vessels and large pieces for dinner service from Augustus the Strong. This room is painted floor-to-ceiling emerald green and trimmed in gold to contrast the silver on display. The vaulted ceilings are bright white and accented with elaborate details.

These silver pieces are some of the best examples of silversmith artwork from the 17th and 18th centuries. You won’t see any pieces in here from the 19th century, as most silver from that era was melted down to fund the crown’s dwindling bank account. One of the most important treasures from this room is a solid gold drinking bowl from Ivan the Terrible. One of Augustus’ prized possessions.

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Along one wall, are shelves are dedicated to the gold ruby glass of the royal palace. Its dark red colour pops against the green walls. The red colour was produced by adding gold chloride as it cooked. The ruby glass was frequently associated with magical powers. Coral was also thought to have magical properties and, as such, was incorporated into many silver gilt designs from the 17th-18th century.

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The Silbervergoldete Zimmer (Silver Gilt Room)

As you pass through the Emerald green of the White Silver Room, you come upon the Silbervergoldete Zimmer (the Silver Gilt Room). In contrast to the previous one, this room is painted a deep vermillion. The mirrors in this room are smaller but formed into various baroque shapes. This room features gilded silver pieces, gold drinking vessels, and carved figurines. Most figurines feature Greek myths’ stories, but some also feature historical figures.

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One of the most striking pieces in this room is a jewellery box made of gilded silver, mother of pearl and precious stones. It was a Christmas gift that Christian I gave his wife Sophie in 1585. Inside the lid of the box was once a tiny clock, but only fragments of the clock have been preserved. One can only imagine which precious jewels Sophie kept inside this box.

The Pretiosensaal (Pretiosa Room or Hall of Treasures)

As you enter the next room, you immediately notice that this is the largest of all the rooms. This is the Pretiosensaal (Hall of Treasures). This room reminded me greatly of the Chandelier Gallery in Versaille.

It was not as big as Versaille, perhaps, but even more opulent. Along each wall, from floor to ceiling, were gilded ostrich eggs, nautilus and sea snails set in silver, vessels made of coloured gems and ambers, microscopic portraits inlaid onto ornate cherry wood boxes and even rock crystal bowls decorated with Grecian heroines.

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Precious Crystals

In the Middle ages, rock crystal was believed to have magical powers. I think you can see a theme emerging. The King wanted the finest things in his collection and anything that would perhaps imbue him with more power. Since crystals were thought to be pure, it was thought to symbolize God and the purity of the Virgin Mary.

But not everyone was on board with these thoughts. In fact, some found these jewels to be an affront to God. As nothing should be worshipped aside from God himself. Saxony was one of the wealthiest countries of the time, and they loved showing off their wealth anywhere they could. This resulted in the creation of some of these outlandish drinking vessels. There were glasses made from ostrich eggs and sea snail shells, goblets made of mother of pearl, and even coconuts inlaid with gemstones. These were considered the devil’s inventions and deplored by God in Heaven by many monks who served the King.

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The Wappenzimmer (Coats of Arms Room, Heraldry Room)

The Wappenzimmer (the Heraldry Room) features copper and gilded coats of arms of the Saxon provinces, the Polish state coat of arms and the original plates of the House of Wettin electorates. This room serves as a nice break from the overwhelming decor of the previous rooms. Some of these coats of arms still bare the damage from the WWII bombings. And you can see the burnt metal’s edges almost peeling away. This an excellent example of how fire can burn through almost anything.

The Juwelenzimmer (Jewel Chamber)

Up next is the Juwelenzimmer (Jewel Chamber). Here are the crown jewels of the Saxon-Polish royalty. This was the room that was the target of the 2019 burglary. Behind solid glass are golden pendants, necklaces and rings, electoral swords and modern gem sets. The room looks like a bedazzled royal coat of arms. Blue and crimson walls are decorated with ornamental fields of mirrors and covered in gold engravings.

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Dresden Green Diamond

In this room, the real crown jewel of the Green Vault can be viewed. It is the impossibly rare Dresden Green Diamond, a massive, naturally irradiated gem from India. The diamond is embedded in a statue called the “Moor with Emerald Cluster” or the “Jewel Garniture” and the “Obeliscus Augustalis.” It is a flawless hunk of green carbon, unfined and perfect. Augustus was obsessed with possessing rare and precious stones. He was so impressed with this gem that he didn’t want to ruin its natural state and therefore commissioned statuettes designed to carry the precious stone.

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Sapphire Collection

One of my favourite pieces from the gem room is the Sapphire collection. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Sun King Louis XIV started a trend of making jewellery designed in a uniform style. This meant that buttons, buckles, weapons, snuff boxes, pocket watches, hat decorations and more all possessed reflected the same designs and detailing. This attire gave the impression of absolute uniformity throughout the monarchy and the royal family. For Augustus, he did so with his signature Dresden Sapphires.

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The Bronzezimmer (Bronze Room)

The final room is the Raum der Renaissance bronzes (Room of Renaissance Bronzes). It features some large, bronze sculptures from the 17th century.

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Dresden’s Green Vault offers a unique opportunity to explore one of the world’s most magnificent collections of treasures. From its stunning Baroque architecture to its sparkling jewels, intricate enamels, and precious goldsmith works, the Green Vault is a testament to the skill and artistry of the master craftsmen of centuries past. Whether you’re a history buff, a lover of fine art, or simply looking for an exceptional experience, a visit to the Green Vault is an absolute must! If you’ve visited before, let me know your favourite part of the collection.

Happy Travels, Adventurers!

The post An Insider’s Guide to Exploring Dresden’s Amazing Historic Green Vault first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.