Want to try on the crown of Czech kings? Barrandov studios loans its film replica!
The Crown of St. Wenceslas made for the coronation of Charles IV has a magic attraction. It is rarely put on display and people cue up for hours to see it. Few people know that there is a replica of it at Barrandov film studios that anyone can borrow.
The St. Wenceslas Crown, made of 22-carat gold and decorated with precious stones and pearls, is the oldest and most valuable item of the Bohemian Crown Jewels. Twenty-one Czech kings and one queen wore it. Even if they got the chance, few people would dare to try it on. An old Czech legend says that any usurper who places the crown on his head is doomed to die a violent death within a year.
It is said that the Nazi protector Reinhard Heydrich tried it on and was killed within a year. Historians might dispute the truth behind that rumor, but it stays in human memory and adds to the mystery surrounding the crown.
As of next Tuesday, September 17, the public will once again have the opportunity to admire this precious national treasure, which will be on display at Prague Castle.
However, what few people know is that they can borrow and try on a very convincing replica of the St. Wenceslas Crown in the costume warehouse of the Barrandov film studios, the so-called Fundus. Tomas Dvorak from its Gothic department willingly shows it to visitors.
“We have copies of the royal garments of St Wenceslas, the patron saint of the Czech nation, after whom the crown Is named and also of Charles IV for whom it was made. The crown has an unusual design, with vertical fleurs-de-lis at the front, back and sides and is decorated with pearls, sapphires, emeralds and rubies. At the top of the Crown there is a golden cross. And in the cross there is believed to be a thorn from the crown of Jesus Christ, which was a gift from the King of France and was supposed to protect the wearer."
The replica of the crown was created in 2016 on the occasion of the 700th anniversary of the birth of Charles IV. It took approximately 70 hours to make. Ráchel Fojtů, head of the Barrandov costume department, says both individuals and institutions can borrow it.
"The jewels are only coloured glass, but the crown looks very authentic and we allow anyone to borrow it. It is often loaned for film productions or for parades and festivals. It is freely available for various events and purposes."
As well as a replica of the St.Wenceslas' Crown, the warehouse also has a copy of the crown with which Charles IV was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 1349. He wore it only once and later donated it to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Aachen, where the first medieval Roman Emperor Charlemagne is buried. The crown is there to this day. Its replica in the Barrandov film studios cost 17 thousand crowns.
Replicas of the Bohemian crown jewels have appeared in a number of films, among them - The Assassination by Jiří Sequens, Karel Hynek Mácha starring Ladislav Boháč and Jan Roháč of Dube, a historic film from 1947.
