The grand opening of the exhibition CORONATION JEWELS OF THE LUXEMBOURG MONARCHS will take place on September 28 as part of the ST. WENCESLAS CELEBRATIONS , which will also feature a performance by leading Czech composer, conductor, arranger, and musician Varhan Orchestrovič Bauer.

You don't have to travel all over Europe to see the crown jewels of the Luxembourg monarchs. Just visit the Minorite Friary in Prague, where the wedding ceremony of John of Luxembourg and Elizabeth of Bohemia took place in 1311. This event symbolically marked the end of the 400-year reign of the Přemyslid dynasty for the Czech estates, and the Luxembourg dynasty took over for more than 120 years.

This extraordinary exhibition with its unique atmosphere will open to the public on Sunday, September 28 2025, and will feature faithful replicas of the Czech Crown of St. Wenceslas, the original of which is kept in St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle, the Roman Crown from the treasury of Aachen Cathedral in Germany, the Imperial Crown, the original of which is kept in the Hofburg Treasury in Vienna, the LOMBARD IRON CROWN of the Lombard kings, permanently exhibited in the cathedral treasury in Monza, Italy, and the CROWN OF ST. STEPHEN from the Hungarian Parliament building in Budapest. This exhibition is part of the larger exhibition The Magical Luxembourgs. These are exact scientific copies, or facsimiles, of the crowns, commissioned by Jiří Urban from Turnov for the exhibition The Magical Luxembourgs, which has been touring since 2015.

"We have had five exhibitions in ten months, each of which has brought its own energy to the monastery. However, this exhibition is quite extraordinary in that it is directly related to its history. I am happy that we are succeeding in fulfilling our mission of opening the Minorite Monastery in Prague as a space for culture, education, and connecting the legacy of our ancestors with the present, because what we are creating now is a legacy for future generations. Symbols were loved not only by our ancestors and Charles IV, but they are also important to me. St. Wenceslas Day could not be a more symbolic moment to open such an exceptional exhibition. It was here that the Luxembourg dynasty began its reign on the Czech throne," says Helena Kohoutová, CEO of Exhibitions and Rentals at the Minorite Friary in Prague, Managing Director of the Helas Agency, and founder of the Helas Business Platform – Building a Proud Czechia.

 

"When I began preparing the Magical Luxembourgs exhibition project at the end of 2013, I had no idea that more than 120,000 visitors would see this exhibition from 2015 to the present day. It was only after the entire exhibition was completed that I met master goldsmith and jeweler Jiří Urban from Turnov, who spent eight months crafting replicas of the Crown of St. Wenceslas and the Imperial Crown for the exhibition's opening in Ostrava on May 17, 2015. It was an unplanned "icing on the cake" for this exhibition. The remaining crowns of the Luxembourgs were then made gradually, with the ST. STEPHEN'S CROWN being presented at an exhibition in Valašské Meziříčí on August 30, 2024. I am extremely pleased that the exhibition of crowns will also take place at the Minorite Monastery in Prague. The "genius loci" of this place, relating to the Luxembourgs and the Přemyslids, is truly astonishing. As early as 1311, the wedding feast of Eliška Přemyslovna and Jan Lucemburský took place in the premises of this monastery, and throughout the 14th century, these premises played an important role in the government of the Luxembourgs, especially under Václav IV. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my family, who have always supported me in this project, and especially my wife, without whom I would not have been able to realize it. At the same time, I would like to thank Ms. Helena Kohoutová for reopening this long-hidden space of the Minorite Monastery in Prague to the public, allowing them to admire this magical and mystical place. I sincerely hope that it will inspire visitors to reflect on and study our history, because where there is faith and hope, love also comes, and we all need love in our lives," adds JUDr. Oldřich Beneš, author and main organizer of the exhibition The Magical Luxembourgs, which maps the reign of the Luxembourg dynasty in the Czech lands.

The exhibition will open as part of the St. Wenceslas Festival, which will also feature IMPROVISATION AND MEDITATION ON THE CHORAL ST. WENCESLAS performed by Czech composer, conductor, arranger, and musician Varhan Orchestrovič Bauer, who ranks among the most prominent musical personalities in the Czech Republic and abroad. He is the author of the music for Miloš Forman's film Goya's Ghosts and a two-time winner of the OSA annual award for the most performed Czech composer of classical music abroad. Since the late 1990s, he has been composing music for stage, film, and television, but he also works in advertising. He records his music with the Instant Film Orchestra, which he founded himself. Varhan is very critical in his views, a perfectionist, and likes to provoke.

The rector of St. James Basilica and guardian of the friary, Father Stanislav Jaromi OFMConv, representing the Minorite Friary in Prague, highlighted the new role of the space: "I am glad that the unique premises of the monastery are opening up to other people and interesting projects, and I think that the opportunity to encounter the extraordinary history, spiritual significance, and culture of this place is particularly important today."

The exhibition is organized thanks to the support of:
Czech Business Insurance Company (ČPP) is a universal insurance company providing its clients with comprehensive services in the field of life and non-life insurance. It currently manages 2.4 million contracts and its services are used by more than 1.3 million clients. ČPP is celebrating 30 years on the market this year and is one of the top five largest insurance companies in the Czech Republic. ČPP is one of the major players in the field of business insurance. Its clients include not only traditional companies, but also galleries, film crews, and exhibitions. "Insurance can be tailored to specific risks or as all-risk coverage. For some exhibitions, it is possible to arrange so-called "nail to nail" insurance, i.e., from start to finish. This insurance is arranged from the time of takeover from the owner, through transport to the exhibition site, installation at the exhibition site, to transport back to the owner," describes Michal Krajčovič, Director of the Business Risks Division at ČPP. In the past, Česká podnikatelská pojišťovna has insured, for example, the Memory of the Nation Awards and the monthly stone at the Astronomical Institute. ČPP is also behind the insurance of the Alga Oasis exhibit, which was presented at EXPO 2021.

RESPECT, a.s.- insurance broker for entrepreneurs and companies. "It is a great honor for us that our company, RESPECT, a.s., has become the proud ambassador of the historically significant Minorite Monastery complex in Prague. As an insurance broker for entrepreneurs and companies, we do not focus solely on business insurance, even though that has been our bread and butter for 30 years. We also strive to support Czech projects that extend into the areas of culture and history. We are a Czech family business, which is why we care about the future of the Czech Republic. We believe it is important to think long-term and support projects that will have a positive impact on future generations. Our goal is to build a proud Czechia, and I am truly honored that we can be part of this effort together with the Helas business platform and support the reopening of the Minorite Monastery in Prague as an educational, business, and social venue," said Zdeněk Reibl, founder of RESPECT, a.s. and philanthropist.

We look forward to seeing you on the streets of Prague!

Tickets can be purchased online or directly at the monastery information desk.
Minorite Friary in Prague, Malá Štupartská 635/6, Prague 1
The St. Wenceslas Festival begins on September 28, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The exhibition of the Crown Jewels of the Luxembourg Monarchs will run until February 28, 2026.

Media partners :               AMAZING magazin, magazin EPOCHA & HISTORY
For media:                  If you are interested in an interview or further materials, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Contacts:            
Name: Gabriela Škrdletová
E-mail: klasterminoritu@helas.org
Phone: 775 718 870
Web: www.klaster-minoritu.cz