Klementinum — Attraction in Prague

Disappointing… the tour is rushed and crowded, you don’t the time to really look around (and you’re not even allowed to stay in the places it would be interesting to take a second in). You only get a small glimpse of the library from a little gated off 2m2 (max) area where 30 ppl try to fit at once. Forget about getting a look at the globes, they’re too far away. I understand the books need to be protected, but they could make a walkway inside the library where you can actually walk in and look around, while keeping the books safe. The meridian hall was very cool in theory, kinda cool in person, but again, having the time to appreciate without being crowded in a tiny space and being ushered out the second the guide stopped speaking would have been nice. Which, the guide made everything that much more riveting by clearly being thrilled by his job (feel the sarcasm). He spoke as if from a memorized speech that bored him to no end, and with the lack of articulation and echo, we couldn’t understand half of what he was saying. The view from the top was the highlight, you get a 360 view of Prague. Again, though, we were fairly quickly ushered out. I was very enthused to see the library, and I guess I should have read the reviews better but I would have never expected to see so little of it, for so little time. I would not do...

We visited the Klementinum in Prague on September 7, 2025. It is important to book tickets in advance, as spots on the guided tours are limited and not always available on the same day. The place is historically fascinating, but the overall experience was mixed.

That evening there was a lunar eclipse, and it was disappointing that the management did not take the opportunity to extend the visit and allow guests to watch it from the Astronomical Tower – it could have been an unforgettable moment.

The guided tour lasted about an hour to an hour and a half. The guide was very professional and able to answer questions, but much of the presentation felt recited and less personal.

During the tour, you only get a very brief glimpse of the magnificent Baroque library – just in passing, without being allowed to enter or linger. There is also a small but impressive exhibition of ancient astronomical instruments such as astrolabes and telescopes, though it was unclear whether they were original or replicas.

The tour ends with a climb up to the Astronomical Tower, which offers a beautiful view over the city. However, the admission price felt high compared to the length and content of the tour.

In the end, it is an interesting experience with unique highlights, but it left us with a sense of missed potential and unfulfilled...

Worth a visit... Absolutely Ticket situation... Crazy Firstly, yes you really must make time (40 minutes) for a visit here. Amazing history, great talk from the guide and amazing views from the top of the tower. There is very limited access to the Baroque Library and you aren’t allowed to take photos either. Everywhere else you are free to take photos. There are a number of original pieces of astronomy equipment from the time of Johannes Kepler. Be warned that there are 172 steps to the top of the tower and most of these are on a very tight spiral staircase. The ones that aren’t are on old uneven wooden stairs from 1722, not surprisingly the consideration to health and safety is next to none. At the time we were there the lift was not working so this is only for someone with fairly good fitness and mobility. So with all that out of the way, yes, you really should go. Now to the tickets... There is nowhere online you can buy tickets, you must go to the ticket office at the entrance to the museum. There will probably be a queue, this may be people waiting to buy tickets or people queuing for the next session. With a 25 person limit for each session these sell out quickly. We got there at 10:00 (when they open) and the next available time was 13:30 all the earlier ones had been sold the...