Czech coronation jewels exhibition concludes at Prague Castle

The exhibition of Czech coronation jewels, titled ‘Habsburg 500’, concludes today at the Vladislav Hall of Prague Castle. The display, which opened on September 15, offered the public a rare opportunity to view artifacts such as the St. Wenceslas crown, the royal scepter and orb, and a coronation robe from 1653.

The exhibition traced the history of the jewels from their storage at Karlštejn Castle in the 16th century and their forced relocation to Vienna during the Thirty Years' War, until their permanent return to Prague Castle in 1791. The decision to make these jewels available for annual public exhibition was made by President Petr Pavel two years ago.

The jewels are permanently stored in the Crown Chamber within St. Vitus Cathedral. Accessing them requires the presence of seven specific keyholders: the President, the Prime Minister, the speakers of both parliamentary chambers, the Archbishop of Prague, the Mayor of Prague, and the Dean of the Metropolitan Chapter of St. Vitus. Last year, the exhibition attracted over 51,500 visitors.