Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia
(Saint) Wenceslaus I, Wenceslas I or Václav the Good was the duke (kníže) of Bohemia from 921 until his assassination in 935. His younger brother, Boleslaus the Cruel, was complicit in the murder.
Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV, born Wenceslaus, was the first King of Bohemia to become Holy Roman Emperor. He was a member of the House of Luxembourg from his father's side and the Czech House of Přemyslid from his mother's side; he emphasized the latter due to his lifelong affinity for the Czech side of his inheritance, and also because his direct ancestors in the Přemyslid line included two saints.
Czech lands
The Czech lands or the Bohemian lands are the three historical regions of Bohemia, Moravia, and Czech Silesia. Together the three have formed the Czech part of Czechoslovakia since 1918 and the Czech Republic since 1 January 1969, which became independent on 1 January 1993.
St. Vitus Cathedral
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslaus and Adalbert is a Roman Catholic metropolitan cathedral in Prague, the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. Until 1997, the cathedral was dedicated only to Saint Vitus, and is still commonly named only as St. Vitus Cathedral.
Prague Castle
Prague Castle is a castle complex in Prague, Czech Republic, dating from the 9th century. It is the official office of the President of the Czech Republic. The castle was a seat of power for kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman emperors, and presidents of Czechoslovakia. The Bohemian Crown Jewels are kept within a hidden room inside it.
Lands of the Bohemian Crown
The Lands of the Bohemian Crown, sometimes called Czech lands in modern times, were a number of incorporated states in Central Europe during the medieval and early modern periods connected by feudal relations under the Bohemian kings. The crown lands primarily consisted of the Kingdom of Bohemia, an electorate of the Holy Roman Empire according to the Golden Bull of 1356, the Margraviate of Moravia, the Duchies of Silesia, and the two Lusatias, known as the Margraviate of Upper Lusatia and the Margraviate of Lower Lusatia, as well as other territories throughout its history.
Kingdom of Bohemia
The Kingdom of Bohemia, sometimes later in English literature referred to as the Czech Kingdom, was a medieval and early modern monarchy in Central Europe, the predecessor of the modern Czech Republic. It was an Imperial State in the Holy Roman Empire, and the Bohemian king was a prince-elector of the empire. The kings of Bohemia, besides Bohemia, also ruled the Lands of the Bohemian Crown, which at various times included Moravia, Silesia, Lusatia, and parts of Saxony, Brandenburg, and Bavaria.
Schatzkammer
Schatzkammer, a German word which means treasury or treasure chamber, is a term used in English for the collection of treasures, especially objet d'art in precious metals and jewels, of a ruler or other collector which are kept in a secure room and often found in the basement of a palace or castle. It also often included the wider types of object typical of the Renaissance cabinet of curiosities. A very small but evocative Renaissance room in a tower at Lacock Abbey was designed for keeping and viewing the treasures of the newly rich owner.
Bohemian Crown Jewels
The Bohemian Crown Jewels, sometimes called the Czech Crown Jewels, include the Crown of Saint Wenceslas, the royal orb and sceptre, the coronation vestments of the Kings of Bohemia, the gold reliquary cross, and St. Wenceslas' sword. They were originally held in Prague and Karlštejn Castle, designed in the 14th century by Matthias of Arras. Since 1791 they have been stored in St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle. Reproductions of the jewels are permanently exhibited in the historical exposition at the former royal palace in the castle. The crown was made for the coronation of Charles IV in 1347, making it the fourth oldest in Europe.
History of Prague
The history of Prague covers more than a thousand years, during which time the city grew from the Vyšehrad Castle to the capital of a modern European state, the Czech Republic.
Johann Georg Bendl
Johann-Georg Bendl (Czech pronunciation: [ˈjohan ˈɡɛorɡ ˈbɛndl̩]) or Jan Jiří Bendl was a Baroque sculptor, who worked mainly in Prague.
St. George's Basilica, Prague
St. George's Basilica is the oldest surviving church building within Prague Castle, Prague, Czech Republic. The basilica was founded by Vratislaus I of Bohemia in 920. It is dedicated to Saint George.
History of the Czech lands in the High Middle Ages
The history of the Czech lands in the High Middle Ages encompasses the period from the rule of Vladislav II to that of Henry of Bohemia (c.1265–1335). The High Middle Ages includes the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries. It was preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended about 1500. The High Middle Ages produced a number of intellectual, spiritual and artistic works and saw the rise of ethnocentrism, which evolved into nationalism. The rediscovery of the works of Aristotle led Thomas Aquinas and other thinkers of the period to develop the instructional method of scholasticism. In architecture, many notable Gothic cathedrals were built or completed during this era.
Czech Gothic architecture
Czech Gothic architecture refers to the architectural period primarily of the Late Middle Ages in the area of the present-day Czech Republic.
Treasury of St. Vitus Cathedral
The Treasury of St. Vitus Cathedral is a collection of ecclesiastical treasures of the Prague Cathedral and is in the property of Prague Cathedral Chapter. It is the largest church treasury in the Czech Republic and one of the most extensive in Europe. The Treasure contains more than 400 items, 139 from them have been displayed since 2012 in a new exhibition in the Chapel of the Holy Rood in Prague Castle.
Coronation Cross of Bohemia
The Coronation Cross of Bohemia or the Gold Reliquary Cross is the most precious object of the Treasury of the St Vitus Cathedral in Prague. It is usually exhibited together with the Czech (Bohemian) Coronation Jewels and is sometimes considered to be part of them. It is a gold reliquary in shape of a cross, which was created to contain the most valuable relics of the Czech Kingdom. The cross was made by order of Charles IV, probably around 1354. The Reliquary Cross was not originally part of the St Vitus Treasury, but belonged to the Treasury of Karlštejn Castle. Since 1645 it has been permanently in Prague and became part of the St. Vitus Treasury. The cross was used during the coronations of Bohemian kings in St Vitus Cathedral, although it was not originally made for this purpose.
Coronation of the Bohemian monarch
The Coronation of the Bohemian monarch was a ceremony in which the king and queen-consort was formally crowned, annoited and invested with regalia. It corresponded to the coronation ceremonies that occurred in other European monarchies, especially France, Germany and partially neighboring Hungary and England. Like in France and England the king's reign began immediately upon the death of his predecessor.
Outline of Prague
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Prague: