Library 2
The library hall comes from the original Augustinian monastery at St. Thomas from where it was moved with all the furnishings to the convent in Old Brno after the forced eviction in 1783. During the representative reconstruction of the convent at St. Thomas, which was started by Abbot Ondřej Zirkl and continued, not only were new buildings constructed and older buildings revitalized, but also the interior was furnished and decorated at great expense. The library hall, which was the work of the carpentry workshop of the lay brother Bernard Stöttner, who was part of the Augustinian community, was also completely new. Work on the library probably began in 1745, when wood for the bookcases and veneers (walnut, olive wood) were ordered. The sculptural decoration was done by Josef Leonard Weber and the gilding of the stucco and statues by the painter Tomáš Svoboda. The important master Josef Tadeáš Rotter was entrusted with the ceiling fresco, the subject of which is unfortunately not known in detail at present. The monastery annals first mention the library in 1747. The catalogue of the library was compiled by the brother librarian Adeodat Hanzeli in the following year, 1748. The sources speak of the expenses and costs for the construction of the library, which amounted to 5425 guilders. At present, the library collection numbers over 27,000 volumes.