The Bohemian Crown Jewels of the Czech Republic, including the St. Wenceslas crown, royal scepter, and coronation cloak, are stored in a chamber inside St. Vitus Cathedral protected by seven locks requiring seven key holders including the president, prime minister, and Prague archbishop to unlock. The Prague Castle complex, at over 753,473 square feet, is the largest ancient castle in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records, and includes the Orangery greenhouse built in 1999 that maintains tropical plants as part of a 16th century tradition.
The Bohemian Crown Jewels of the Czech Republic, including the St. Wenceslas crown, royal scepter, and coronation cloak, are stored in a chamber inside St. Vitus Cathedral protected by seven locks requiring seven key holders including the president, prime minister, and Prague archbishop to unlock. The Prague Castle complex, at over 753,473 square feet, is the largest ancient castle in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records, and includes the Orangery greenhouse built in 1999 that maintains tropical plants as part of a 16th century tradition.
The Bohemian Crown Jewels of the Czech Republic, including the St. Wenceslas crown, royal scepter, and coronation cloak, are stored in a chamber inside St. Vitus Cathedral protected by seven locks requiring seven key holders including the president, prime minister, and Prague archbishop to unlock. The Prague Castle complex, at over 753,473 square feet, is the largest ancient castle in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records, and includes the Orangery greenhouse built in 1999 that maintains tropical plants as part of a 16th century tradition.
Stowed away in a chamber inside St. Vitus Cathedral,
the Bohemian Crown Jewels include the St. Wenceslas crown, royal scepter, and coronation cloak. The Republic isn't taking any chances with their safekeeping, either, considering both the chamber door and iron safe inside have seven locks. The keys are held by seven people, including the president, prime minister, and Prague archbishop.
Only the president can make the call of how Prague's
Bohemian Crown Jewels are displayed publicly. They are typically put on exhibit every five years or so. When this happens, all seven key holders must be present for the unlocking process.
The Prague Castle is in the Guinness Book of World
Records.
The Prague Castle complex is enormous, with an area
totaling approximately 753,473 square feet. That makes it the largest ancient castle in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The complex extends down to the Lesser Quarter, or Mala Strana, where several chateaux and palaces are found. Wallenstein Palace, for one, is home to the Czech Senate and includes 26 houses and six gardens. Prague castle
There's a tropical garden
Back in the 16th century, the Holy Roman Emperor
Rudolf II had a garden of tropical plants, including citrus trees, at Prague Castle. The tradition continues today at the Orangery, a tubular-shaped, glass-enclosed greenhouse built in 1999 in the Royal Gardens.
Dreamed up by Olga Havlová — then-president Václav
Havel's first wife — the three-part structure includes space for budding, growing, and maintaining different tropical plants and Mediterranean fruits. It's open to visitors in the summer.