Prague Live Cam

It's known for its Old Town Square, the heart of its historic core



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The Art Collections Department of the Prague Castle Administration

The Art Collections Department of the Prague Castle Administration has approximately 40,000 items in its care. The most important collections, such as the rare paintings, tapestries, furnishings from St VitusOs Cathedral or archaeological finds, have been declared cultural and national monuments. The Prague Castle Administration annually spends considerable sums for maintenance and restoration. Until very recently there had never been a restorerOs workshop in the precinct of Prague Castle; restoration was done in other institutions or by private restorers. That, however, was most unsuitable for the safe-keeping of the CastleOs unique objects of art.

The idea of establishing workshops directly at Prague Castle first came up about ten years ago, in connection with the unsatisfactory state of our unique collection of historic textiles. This collection comprises items in the care of the state and the Church N fabrics, robes, carpets, and tapestries. Among the most important items are the remnants of historic costumes from the tenth to the seventeenth centuries, found in the tombs of Bohemian rulers and members of their families during years of archaeological research at Prague Castle.

After 1989, with the opening of the state frontiers, we were finally able to establish contacts with workplaces abroad. The closest collaboration has developed between Prague Castle and the Abegg Foundation, in Riggisberg, Switzerland.

As part of the extensive reconstruction of the building known as the Institute for Impoverished Gentlewomen, in JiTsk_ street No. 2, a space has been set aside and adapted for workshops, which meet the requirements of the Art Collections Department of Prague Castle Administration. The diverse nature of the collections of Prague Castle has meant that the original idea of a workshop for textile restoration had to be expanded to workshops for paintings, sculpture and other objects of art.



Part of the space comprises the technical side of the workshops, for example the photolab, cleaning facilities, enclosed areas for work with chemicals, including a large stainless steel tub, a light table, goldsmithOs tables, easels, microscopes, and photo equipment. All the equipment has been chosen with great care, after intensive consultations with many experts N in the case of textiles, primarily with the Abegg Foundation. The space is specially secured against theft. The size of the workshop enables the restoration not only of objects from the Prague Castle collections but also from elsewhere. We believe that the security system will make the workshops particularly attractive for people wishing to rent our facilities.

Part of modern restoration work is the collection of information about the items being restored, about the period in which they were made, and also about new possibilities in restoration work.

The Tombs of Saints at Prague Castle

From the very beginning Prague Castle was built not only as the symbol of the power of the Czech state, but also as its spiritual centre. As an example of the intellectual link between the political and spiritual aspects of state power can be mentioned the sanctification of certain members of the ruling dynasty (St. Wenceslas, St. Ludmila) or the consecration of some places to secure their spiritual protection. As a rule this way was confirmed by the reception of the remains of holy saints and the building of altars with tombs or relics.

In this sense the holiest place of the Czech state is St. Vitus's Cathedral. The tombs of holy patron saints - protectors of the Czech state and nation - can be found in its interiors (and also in other churches of Prague Castle). Apart from altars with the graves of saints holy relics - parts of the respective saint's body and clothing and in some cases deathly instruments of torture - are parts of a number of altars.

The relics of SS. Vojtech (Adalbert), Vit (Vitus), Vaclav (Wenceslas), Ludmila, Prokop (Prokopius), Cyril and Metodej (Method) are situated in the Neo-Gothic high altar in St. Vitus's Cathedral. One of the oldest reliquaries of the treasure was the very valuable casket for the arms of St. Vitus, which fell into the possession of Prince Wenceslas himself. Shortly after his death Wenceslas's sword, shield, lance, helmet and chain armour were to become parts of the treasure. After her return from Rome in 973 Boleslav II's sister Mlada enriched the collection with gifts from Pope John XIII, while Prince Bretislav I added the remains of St. Adalbert and the Holy Five Brothers.

The treasure was enhanced to the greatest extent by Charles IV, a large-scale collector of remains. He acquired them during his numerous journeys through Europe and presented them to the treasure in valuable reliquaries which he had made especially for the purpose.