The choir and its apse-like projection to the east are the oldest parts of Kräklingbo Church. This part of the church originally formed the nave and choir of an earlier church; an inscription mentions its inauguration in 1211. The present nave and sacristy were built around 1300, and thus incorporated these earlier elements. The east window in the apse-like projection dates from the reconstruction circa 1300. The two main portals of the church also date from this later building period. They are richly decorated with sculptures depicting religious motifs and ornamentation. A proper church tower was never built; the spire probably dates from the 18th century but was remade during a renovation in 1908.
Inside, the church is decorated with frescos. Most of these date from the early 13th century and depict religious scenes. During the reconstruction of the church around 1300, some of the frescos were damaged. Three scenes were furthermore added in 1908. The church has also been decorated internally by the use of alternating stones of different colours in many of the details such as the window frames.
The church houses a number of medieval items. The altarpiece was manufactured on Gotland at the beginning of the 16th century. The triumphal cross is older, from the end of the 13th century, and is still in the Romanesque tradition. The choir benches, lastly, date from the 14th century. The baptismal font and the unusual pulpit are both from the second half of the 17th century, and Baroque in style.
References:The Clementinum is a historic complex of buildings in Prague. Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries, the City Library also being located nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. The Technical library and the Municipal library have moved to the Prague National Technical Library at Technická 6 since 2009. It is currently in use as the National Library of the Czech Republic.
Its history dates from the existence of a chapel dedicated to Saint Clement in the 11th century. A Dominican monastery was founded in the medieval period, which was transformed in 1556 to a Jesuit college. In 1622 the Jesuits transferred the library of Charles University to the Klementinum, and the college was merged with the University in 1654. The Jesuits remained until 1773, when the Klementinum was established as an observatory, library, and university by the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.