The National Museum Prague is dedicating its largest exhibition of the year to the Přemyslid dynasty. In cooperation with the administration of Prague Castle, the museum is presenting more than 900 exhibits in its historic building relating to the history of the ruling family that shaped Bohemia into a kingdom and significantly influenced the development of Central Europe.
Under the title “Přemyslovci – panovnická dynastie a její doba” (The Přemyslids – The Ruling Dynasty and Its Time), the new exhibition presents numerous extraordinary loans from the Czech Republic and abroad. Many of the exhibits are only rarely displayed to the public. These include the Romanesque sarcophagus of the so-called Saint Longinus, the royal crown from Środa Śląska, burial textiles of Saint Ludmila, the funerary regalia of Přemysl Ottokar II, his sword, as well as the personal ring of Přemysl Ottokar I.
According to the museum, a large part of the exhibits comes from the collections of the National Museum and from almost 70 Czech and international institutions. The exhibition aims to present the history of the Přemyslids (Přemyslovci) not as a classic sequence of rulers and dates, but as the vivid story of a dynasty full of power struggles, political intrigue, wars and social change.
Foto: National Museum Prague
The exhibition takes visitors chronologically from the legendary origins of the dynasty to its end in the early 14th century. A central part focuses on the well-known legend of Princess Libuše and the ploughman Přemysl, which is regarded as the symbolic origin of the ruling dynasty.
The best-known conflicts in Bohemian history also play an important role in the exhibition. Among the topics covered are the power struggle between Saint Ludmila and her daughter-in-law Drahomíra, as well as the murder of Saint Wenceslas in Stará Boleslav.
Foto: National Museum Prague
Another section focuses on the rise of Bohemia to a kingdom under Přemysl Ottokar I and the reign of Přemysl Ottokar II, whose realm at one time extended to the Adriatic coast. Among the most impressive exhibits are the royal funerary regalia from his tomb, including the crown, sceptre and orb.
Director General Michal Lukeš described the exhibition as one of the most important museum projects of the year. He said the presentation was exceptional not only in the Czech context, but also on a European level. The aim is to bring the history of the Přemyslids closer to a broad audience in an accessible way.
Foto: National Museum Prague
Prague Castle is also contributing numerous rarely displayed loans to the exhibition. According to Prague Castle Director Pavel Vyhnánek, more than 90 objects from the castle’s collections have been made available, including valuable textiles from the 10th-century tomb of Saint Ludmila.
The exhibition “Přemyslovci – panovnická dynastie a její doba” is on display until 15 October 2026 in the historic building of the National Museum in Prague. It is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
National Museum Prague (Národní muzeum)
Václavské nám. 68, 110 00 Nové Město
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