Prague Castle exhibition pays tribute to the Vltava River

A new exhibition at the Prague Castle Riding Hall opened on Friday, celebrating the Vltava River with about 500 diverse exhibits. The first item on display is a glass “Heart of the Vltava,” filled with water carried from both of the river’s sources in a 66-day relay. The show runs until January 4 and is the highlight of a broader project by the National Heritage Institute and partner institutions.

The exhibition presents artworks, historical documents, and objects connected to life along the river. It also marks 150 years since the premiere of Bedřich Smetana’s symphonic poem Vltava in 1875. Visitors can see Smetana’s original manuscript as well as a 1366 charter by Emperor Charles IV ordering the river to be made navigable.