Monastic basilica

The Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was built from the founding of the monastery in 1143 as a three-aisled Romanesque structure. After a fire in 1258, it was renovated in the Gothic style.

Architectural Development

The form imparted to the monastery church by its original builders in the Romanesque period was marked by exceptional spaciousness and boldness. The building material was opuka, a stone widely available nearby, which is very workable and was quarried locally for the needs of the new monastery. However, the monastic basilica did not maintain its original appearance for long. After a fire caused by the negligence of one of the brothers in 1258, which damaged most of the Romanesque monastery, the church was significantly damaged and subsequently rebuilt in the then-modern Gothic style. A flat wooden ceiling was replaced by vaulting, and the Chapel of St. Ursula was added to the north aisle, today the site where the relics of St. Norbert are kept.

After being pillaged by the Hussites and falling into long disrepair, restoration and renovation in the Renaissance style began under Abbot Jan Lohelius in the early 17th century. Lohelius' successor, Abbot Questenberg, had the basilica extended westward and a new facade constructed. During his time, the Chapel of Our Lady of Passau was added to the south aisle. In 1742, the basilica was again damaged during the French bombardment of Prague. A Baroque modification of the building followed under the direction of Italian architect A. Lurago, resulting in essentially its present form.

Today, the main nave of the basilica is 63 meters long, 10 meters wide, and 16 meters high. It ends in an apse, which contains an altar made of Slivenec marble by J. Lauermann from 1768. He also created the ten side altars located at the pillars separating the main nave from the aisles. The sculptural decoration of the main altar is by Ignác Platzer from 1768. The ten side altars, dedicated to the Nativity of the Lord, the Sacred Heart of the Lord, St. John of Nepomuk, St. Mary Magdalene, the Conversion of St. Paul, St. Martin, St. Anne, St. Augustine, Czech Patrons, and the Visitation of the Virgin Mary, feature paintings by J. K. Liška, M. L. Willmann, and F. Palak. The sculptural decoration of the altars comes from the workshop of J. A. Quitainer. The new altar, according to the renewed liturgy of the Second Vatican Council, is by Egin Weinert from Cologne.

The western side of the Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is completed with a loft, on which an organ built in 1774 by the Strahov Premonstratensian L. Oehlschlaegel is situated. In 1787, W. A. Mozart improvised on these organs during his visit to Strahov. Attached to the southern aisle of the basilica is the Chapel of Our Lady of Passau, which contains the tomb of the Thirty Years' War hero, General Pappenheim. The church's vault was painted in 1744 by J. W. Neunhertz, who created a cycle of frescoes with Marian motifs. Along the walls of the main nave, in cartouches by A. Palliardi, are frescoes depicting the life of St. Norbert by J. W. Neunhertz.

Altars and Decoration of the Basilica

The ten side altars, placed at the pillars separating the main nave from the side aisles, were created by J. Lauermann. The sculptural decoration of the main altar, from 1768, is by Ignác Platzer. The ten side altars are dedicated to the Nativity of the Lord, the Sacred Heart of the Lord, St. John of Nepomuk, St. Mary Magdalene, the Conversion of St. Paul, St. Martin, St. Anne, St. Augustine, the Czech Patrons, and the Visitation of the Virgin Mary, featuring paintings by J.K. Liška, M.L. Willmann, and F. Palak. The sculptural decoration of these altars comes from the workshop of J. A. Quitainer. The new altar, in accordance with the renewed liturgy of the Second Vatican Council, was created by Egin Weinert from Cologne.

Chapel with the Relics of St. Norbert

Adjoining the north side aisle is a chapel originally dedicated to St. Ursula, today to St. Norbert. Here on the main altar, in a gilded brass sarcophagus, lies the body of the founder of the Premonstratensian Order and later Archbishop of Magdeburg, St. Norbert, interred in an ebony coffin. His relics were transferred to Strahov by Abbot Questenberg in 1627 and moved from the main nave of the basilica to this chapel in 1873, where they rest near the Blessed Sacrament of the altar to this day.

Basilica Minor

The Strahov Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was elevated by Pope John Paul II on November 6, 1991, to the status of a minor basilica. A minor basilica (from Latin: "lesser basilica") is a special honorary title that the pope confers on certain significant churches since the 18th century. The bestowal of the title of minor basilica aims to "strengthen the ties of individual churches with the Bishop of Rome and at the same time highlight the significance of this church for the surrounding area." As of June 30, 2011, there were 1,639 churches worldwide designated as minor basilicas, 554 of which are in Italy. This title is particularly given to significant pilgrimage churches. A minor basilica can be identified by the papal emblem of the reigning or conferring pope displayed above the portal or in another prominent place.