Prague/Riga, Aug 8 (CTK) – The Czech National Museum (NM) opened an exhibition on Prague under the reign of King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV (1316-1378), on the occasion of his 700th birth anniversary, at Bauska Castle near Riga on Sunday, Kristina Kvapilova, from the NM, has told CTK.
The exhibition runs though November and then it will move to Tallinn, she added.
The display presents the importance and position of Prague as well as contacts between the Czech Lands and the Baltics during the reign of the House of Luxembourg, whose members were Kings of Bohemia in 1310-1437.
The exhibition offers, for instance, artifacts from the workshop of architect Peter Parler who built the Gothic St Vitus Cathedral, founded by Charles IV, at Prague Castle, the seat of Czech monarchs and presidents.
Czech kings were crowned in the cathedral in the past and the crown jewels, made under Charles IV, have been kept there to date.
“Though Charles IV mainly focused on South and West Europe, he also kept diplomatic contacts with the Baltic countries. Czech prelates were travelling between cathedrals in Prague and Riga and they occupied many significant church posts there. Besides, the Amber Road, on which luxurious goods sought by members of the House of Luxembourg were transported, led from the Baltics across the Czech territory,” Petr Pribyl, one of the authors of the exhibition, said.
It is one in a number of events marking the 700th birth anniversary of Charles IV that have been held in Prague and elsewhere in the Czech Republic as well as abroad this year.
