National Library of the Czech Republic

Tucked away neatly behind its far more touristy neighbours the Mirror Chapel, the Astronomy Tower, and the Cathedrals at the Klementinum, the National Library of the Czech Republic is a hidden gem only Czech students normally visit. This library is actually one of the most beautiful buildings in town, with a magnificent central reading room on the ground floor that used to be the main dining hall of the Jesuit College that was formerly located at the Klementinum. It’s hard to put a date on the origins of the National Library as it was a natural outgrowth of an academic complex that’s been located there since at least the 13th century.

The current rendition, officially established in 1777, harks back to the romantic era, a time of bronze reading lamps, solid wooden tables, and musty medieval documents. The hushed atmosphere of moving pages and quiet typing provides the perfect background to enjoy the vaulted ceilings, Greek-style columns, and the enormous mural at the far end of the reading room. If you get tired of tourist traps in Old Prague, stop by for a quick, quiet, meditative break, or spend an idyllic afternoon here with your significant other and a good novel, giggling together silently and whispering furtively to each other.