Hard Luck Day On Hard Candy Mountain, 1: Strahov Monastery Libraries

It was not our most successful outing, but, as the story unfolds, you'll see we were caught up in some larger events. The plan was to take trams #15 and #22 up to Hradcany (Hard Candy) Castle, situated on a hill overlooking Prague, and to do the several churches, monasteries, and museums up there, then the castle, then, finally, St. Vitus cathedral. Ambitious, but doable with an early start. En route to Mala Strana, our tram was halted several times for small motorcades to pass. Some official late for a meeting in town, we figured. When we got to Mala Strana, we hopped on #22, and all seemed well until we crossed the river and noticed we were going in the wrong direction. We hopped off, planning to reverse direction, but then lingered to inspect two of the more impressive art nouveau buildings we'd yet seen. Then we hopped back on, now headed in the right direction. We went one stop too far, but that was easily corrected, and we were finally at the top of the hill, ready to begin a busy day, starting with the Strahov Monastery and its libraries. All was well.

The first of the two beauties encountered going the wrong way
on tram #22; note PRAHA spelled out on top

The second, right next door, the Topic building

Details of the first

Stepping inside

Very famous astronomers; from back when there
was much discussion about what revolved around
what, etc., and you'd better be sure it's in agreement
with the Church; or else

Only photo I got of the small motorcades still passing by us,
now up on the hill (cue dark foreshadowing music...)

At the Strahov Monastery libraries they don't actually let you
into the library halls, but rather showcase examples of the wonders
within in an ante-hall; here, the Selmbirk Bible, 1440, possibly
an incunable, I guess

Above, Al-Sufi's Astronomical Atlas, mid-14th century; interesting
to see the constellations so depicted

Europe as a young lady, from Daniel Adam, Veleslavin Itinerarium,
Prague, 1592

"Map of the Catholic Religion in North America," from Heinrich
Scherer, Atlas Novus, Augsburg, 1705; note that California is
depicted as an island unto itself; still is...

Now we are peering into the Theological Library; this was before
the Dewey decimal system; libraries had but two divisions: 1) theology,
and 2) everything else (philosophy); note ceiling treatment...if it ain't
Baroque...

Rotating reading table, presumably allowing easier comparison
of texts, etc. cleverly constructed so that the books don't fall off;
Medieval version of multiple open windows, Vicki says

Note storage of over-sized books under the benches

Now we are peering into the Philosophical Library

Ceiling treatment

Sort of a School of Athens; sort of...

Interesting library furniture

Librarian's desk; Vicki says she could have worked with this...

Card catalogs? Candidly, we have seen our share of libraries and,
while interesting, visually, this one did not live up to price of 
admission