Exhibitions
Charles IV and His Time
Emperor Charles IV was one of the most important rulers of the medieval Europe. You have now the opportunity to get to know his time, great personalities as well as his work. It was him who gave Prague its unmistakeable charm. Visit the 2nd floor of Charles’s “triumphal arch”, Old Town Bridge Tower, a unique part of his magnificent work.
New exhibition in the Old Town Bridge Tower
Charles IV, Emperor and King, is undoubtedly the most important Czech ruler and personality of European importance. He turned Prague into the centre of the Roman Empire and one of the largest and most developed cities in Europe. Under his rule, the Lands of the Bohemian Crown also flourished. It is therefore necessary that Charles IV is remembered and especially at those places he himself was treading. This is why the new exhibition has been installed in the Old Town Bridge Tower which is a unique part of the Emperor’s magnificent work.
Glory of the Bohemian Kingdom
During the reign of Charles IV of Luxembourg, the Bohemian Lands reached their peak. Charles openly professed his Czech roots of his mother, Elisabeth of the Přemyslid dynasty, and made the Czech Kingdom the heart of Empire with its capital Prague which he elevated to unprecedented glory. During the reign of Charles, the Czech State had a twice as large area as today and played an important role in the European politics. Charles IV stood at the foundation of the Prague University, the New Town, St. Vitus Cathedral and the new stone bridge with the “triumphal arch” – the Old Town Bridge Tower. This High Gothic tower that was built by the distinguished architect Petr Parléř is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Europe. It is designed as a defence tower, yet it is characterised by its highly aesthetic value and the unique sculptural decoration as part of the royal coronation route. It was under this tower, still unfinished at the time, where Charles IV’s funeral procession was proceeding. The tower was then completed during the reign of Charles’s son Wenceslas IV. It is therefore logical that this unique landmark will host the exhibition that will remind us of who Charles IV was and in what lies his timeless significance.
What the exhibition offers
The exhibition on the 2nd floor of the Old Town Bridge Tower, which prides on its beautiful compartment ceiling, is designed to evoke an impression of a medieval chamber which brought together prominent personalities of Charles IV’s era. Visitors will have a chance to see the historic costumes of the Emperor Charles IV, the Archbishop Arnošt of Pardubice, Architect Petr Parléř, Queen Elisabeth of Pomerania and the little King Wenceslas IV, which were sewn according to the medieval patterns and the period images to retain maximum possible authenticity. The exhibits are complemented by the symbolic foundation stone of the Charles Bridge with the inscribed magical date of its foundation, the 9th July 1357 at 5:31 o’clock, i.e. 1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1. Included also are the biographies of famous personalities and thematically arranged boards which will bring visitors closer to the famous figures of that time as well as Charles IV himself.
Acknowledgements
Company ABL FM Services, a.s. wishes to thank everybody who has contributed to the creation and the launch of the exhibition “Charles IV and His Time”. Our acknowledgements especially go to Prague Information Service for its open and helpful approach, Professor Lenka Bobková for professional consultations, Filip Stránský for the project delivery and Lenka Nebeská DiS, author of the artistic rendering. We would also like to thank Vladimír Pasák, Libor Vrba and Merlet, s.r.o., Břetislav Král and Petr Vašíček. Our thanks also go to SHŠ Citadela.
“The Old Town Bridge Tower, from which the Roman Emperor and Czech King Charles IV and his son Wenceslas IV looked down at Prague, is characterized by a rich and elaborate symbolism. Despite many efforts, the meaning of this symbolism has not been entirely deciphered. Undoubtedly, it expresses Charles’s view of the imperial and royal rule and its link to the Lands of the Bohemian Crown. The Tower also played its role in Prague’s panorama in which it stands as a magnificent guardian of the Stone Bridge that was crossed by ceremonial parades, either toward the royal residence at Prague Castle or in the opposite direction, to the vibrant conurbation pulsing with everyday life on the right bank.”
Prof. PhDr. Petr Čornej, Dr.Sc.,
Historian and Rector of Literary Academy
“Charles IV is undoubtedly linked to Old Town Bridge Tower. He had it built as a triumphal gateway on the royal route crossing the Prague towns and leading to the residence of Czech Kings. Its decoration proclaimed the glory of the rulers from the Luxembourg dynasty who expanded their domains (see the heraldic signs of the Lands of the Crown) and in whose hands two Crowns united – the Czech and the Roman one. In the history of the Bridge Tower, Wenceslas IV also should not be omitted. The planned exhibition therefore has a purpose; it would be good if its concept was based on the preserved decoration.”
Prof. PhDr. Lenka Bobková, CSc.
“I personally see Charles IV as one of Europe’s biggest personalities of the Middle Ages. His legacy from today’s point of view may look almost unbelievable and it is therefore good that the Old Town Bridge Tower offers its premises for the celebration of the Pater Patriae and his time. With few exceptions I can hardly imagine a better place to commemorate Charles IV than this stone monument.“
Mgr. Jan Hrdina, Historian