Bohemian crown jewels go on display at Prague Castle, highlighting Hapsburg rule
As of September 19, the public can view the authentic Bohemian crown jewels, which are on display in the Vladislav Hall of Prague Castle. These priceless symbols of the Czech nation will be exhibited up until the Day of Czech Statehood on September 28th.
A bejeweled crown, a golden orb and scepter, a long iron sword, a red silk cloak – the Bohemian crown jewels are mesmerizing symbols of power used in the coronations of kings and queens of Bohemia. They were rarely displayed in the past but upon taking office, two years ago, President Petr Pavel decreed that the crown jewels should be displayed annually in connection with St. Wenceslas Day on September 28 –the day of Czech statehood and a day on which Czechs pay tribute to the patron saint of the Czech nation.
The tradition of displaying the crown jewels dates back to the First Czechoslovak Republic. The first public exhibition was held in 1929 to mark the 1,000th anniversary of the death of St. Wenceslas.
These symbols of statehood and royalty never fail to fascinate and people are willing to queue up for hours just to get a glimpse of them.
The exhibition’s curator Štěpán Vácha explains what makes them so captivating.
“It is certainly the beauty of the artefacts. They are made of pure gold and the St. Wenceslas Crown has monumental gemstones. When you see the crown up close, you realise just how extraordinary it is. Then also, people have respect for what they represent, respect for our history. The magic aura that surrounds them does not create itself. It is something we have to pass on to future generations.”
Last year’s accompanying exhibition focused on the fate of the royal insignia during the Second World War. This year’s exhibition, subtitled “The Habsburgs 500”, traces the history of the crown jewels from Ferdinand I of Habsburg’s accession to the throne in 1526 to the end of the 18th century.
It follows the jewels from their storage at Karlštejn Castle, through their transfer to Vienna during the Thirty Years’ War, to their ceremonial return to Prague in 1791. It was then that they became one of the modern symbols of Czech statehood, historical continuity and national identity.
Ruler portraits and other contemporary images will illustrate the links between the crown jewels and the Habsburg dynasty.
Curator Štěpán Vácha says the historical background is an important part of the exhibition and helps create the special aura liked to the crown jewels.
“When the crowned king sat on the throne in the cathedral, the representatives of the estates swore allegiance to the king. They approached him, knelt before him and touched the sapphire on the crown with two fingers as they swore their loyalty. So the magical power of the stones was used during the ceremony, and that is also something memorable. It was a moment when the political representation was united with the king, when a bond of loyalty was established.”
The exhibition will also feature objects connected with the administration and protection of the jewels, including historic keys used by the seven guardians of the crown jewels who need to get together to open the chamber with the priceless artefacts.
The Bohemian crown jewels were last used for their original purpose on September 7, 1836, when Ferdinand I, known as Ferdinand the Good, was crowned King of Bohemia. Neither his successor Franz Joseph I nor the last Austrian monarch, Charles I, was crowned.
The jewels were put on display again after the Second World War in 1945, twice in the 1950s, during the pivotal year of 1968 and during the period of communist normalisation. They were displayed twice under presidents Václav Havel and Václav Klaus, and four times during the presidency of Miloš Zeman. Now the public has the chance to see them every year, but the interest is such that people still wait in line for hours to get a glimpse of them.
