Prague, Feb 26 (CTK) – An exhibition of rare Czech historical documents, including Vladislav’s privilege of 1158, the oldest preserved document proving the existence of the Czech state, opens at the Prague Castle, author of the display Emilie Benesova from the National Archives told reporters on Monday.
The exhibition will open for public on Tuesday and it will remain open for four months.
The exhibition starts with modern history. Visitors go back in time till the very beginning of the history of the Czech state.
The display also uses various media to evoke the atmosphere of the particular periods, such as video recordings of television news from the Communist era or period documentaries from the occupation of the country by the Nazi Germany. Throughout the display, authentic audio recordings are played and period images are screened on the wall. Touchscreens are installed for the visitors to try old-time scripts.
“We wanted the visitor to be leaving with the impression that he or she entered the given period through a time portal,” Viktor Plass, from one of the exhibition’s design suppliers, said.
According to Benesova, one the exhibition’s main objectives was to make an impact on the visitors’ emotions.
She said that the exhibition, situated in the large space of the Imperial Stables, could not encompass all historical milestones of Czech history in the end, despite its authors original fear of not being able to fill such a large space with exhibits.
From the modern history, the countries’ accession treaties to NATO and the EU are displayed. The 20th century is represented by the draft of declaration of independence written by Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, the first Czechoslovak president, or by the blood-stained shirt of Franz Ferdinand d’Este, the heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, which he wore when he was assassinated in Sarajevo in 1914.
The exhibition also presents documents hundreds of years old, such as the request of hangman Jan Mydlar, in which he asked for the payment for the execution of the twenty-one Czech noblemen in Prague’s Old Town Square in 1621.
Some old documents may be on display for one month only and then they will be replaced by copies. Some originals, on the other hand, will only be displayed later and they are currently replaced by copies.
