The Klementinum stands in Prague's Old Town as one of Europe's largest Jesuit complexes, a sprawling Baroque compound that once served as a college, library, and observatory. Today it houses the Czech National Library and opens select halls to visitors. You smell old paper and polished wood the moment you step through the gate.
The main Baroque construction took place from 1709 to 1726 under Jesuit direction. The complex occupies over two hectares and contains multiple courtyards, chapels, and the famous Astronomical Tower that rises above the red rooftops of Malá Strana.
You climb the narrow spiral staircase of the tower, passing frescoed ceilings and antique instruments still mounted in glass cases. At the top, Prague unfolds in all directions—the Vltava curves below, the Castle looms west, and the city's spires puncture the skyline. The Baroque Library Hall gleams with ceiling frescoes and floor-to-ceiling walnut shelves.