Strahov Monastery Library, Prague

The Strahov Monastery Library in Prague contains two extraordinary Baroque halls: the Theological Hall (1679) and the Philosophical Hall (1794). Their elaborately frescoed vaulted ceilings and floor-to-ceiling gilded shelves create an atmosphere of overwhelming beauty. The library houses over 200,000 volumes including illuminated manuscripts and incunabula dating to the 10th century.