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Treasury of St. Vitus Cathedral

Church treasury in Prague, Czechia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Treasury of St. Vitus Cathedral (Czech: Svatovítský poklad) is a collection of ecclesiastical treasures of the Prague Cathedral and is in the property of Prague Cathedral Chapter.[1] 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.

Reliquary bust of St. Adalbert of Prague, c. 1500

The Treasury includes many holy relics and reliquaries. Famous are the Sword of Saint Wenceslas or Coronation Cross of Bohemia. One of the oldest items in the Treasury is a relic of the arm of Saint Vitus, acquired by Czech Duke Wenceslas (Saint) in 929 from German king Henry the Fowler. Duke Wenceslas built a new church to preserve this relic in honor of Saint Vitus – today St. Vitus Cathedral. The Cathedral and its treasury was richly donated by many rulers, e. g. by Emperor Charles IV or King Vladislaus II.

The Artifacts

Nostic Plentary / Trier table
  • Sword of Saint Wenceslas
  • Helmet of St. Wenceslas
    Staff of St. Procopius
  • The so-called Comb of St. Adalbert (carving in ivory)
  • Two rings of St. Adalbert
  • Skull of St. Wenceslas (used for the cult, not on display)
  • Skull of Saint Ludmila (used for the cult)
  • Reliquary with a fragment of the staff of Moses
  • Nostic Plenary, or Trier Tablet
  • Reliquary with the finger of Saint Nicholas
  • Silver reliquary bust of Saint Ludmila
  • Czech Coronation Jewels (Saint Wenceslas Crown, Renaissance Scepter and Renaissance Apple)
  • The golden so-called Coronation Cross of Charles IV. with precious stones, gems, and relics of many saints
  • Crystal altar cross in gold mounting
    St. Nicolas Finger reliquary
  • The Last Supper Tablecloth Crystal Teapot (displayed empty)
  • Crystal bowl with veil of the Virgin Mary in gold mounting
  • Tower reliquary of St. Catherine
  • Tower reliquary with Parler's mark in label
  • The reliquary arm of St. George
  • Onyx chalice in gold = mounting, with the coat of arms of Emperor Charles IV.
  • Veraikon of St. Vitus
    So called "Staff of Moses"
  • The so-called The veraikon in a gold frame is a copy of the Byzantine mandylion
    Piece of table from the Last Supper
  • Panel painting of Madonna Aracoeli
  • Ivory casket for the remains of Saint Sigismund
  • St. Wenceslas cape with stole
  • Miter of Saint Adalbert
  • Skull of Saint Luke the Evangelist (not on display)
  • Arm with reliquary of Saint Barbara in palm
  • Arms of Saint Ludmila in a Gothic reliquary
  • Kolovrat Plenary from 1465
  • Bust of Saint Adalbert
  • Kolowraty plentary
    Bust of St. Wenceslas
  • Bust of Saint Vitus
  • Bust of Saint Anne the Third
  • Arms of Saint Wenceslas in a late Gothic reliquary
  • Renaissance monstrance of gems, jaspers and crystal,
  • A set of gold Rudolphine jewelry
  • Reliquary chest from the tomb of St. Wenceslas
  • Reliquary for the tongue of St. John of Nepomuk (not on display)
  • Mitra preciosa of Cardinal Arnošt Harrach
  • Solar monstrance of Jan Ignác Dlouhoveský
  • Sun monstrance diamond
  • Silver Christening set of kettle and sink of Prague Archbishop Jan Josef Breuner
  • Ferdinand Khünburg's archbishop's scepter with an enamelled Saint Vitus in a medallion
  • Capitular gold monstrance
  • Reliquary with crossed branches of St. Stephen
  • A set of silver shields with relief scenes from the legend of St. John of Nepomuk
  • A golden set of chalices with a tray and with the Lobkovic clan emblems
  • Monstrance of the French King Charles X.
  • Harrach monstrance made of crystal glass
  • Gold Rose of Empress Maria Anna Habsburg
  • and many more...

Gallery

  • Bust Reliquary of St. Ludmila, 14th century
    Bust Reliquary of St. Ludmila, 14th century
  • Arm Reliquary of St. George, late 13th century
    Arm Reliquary of St. George, late 13th century
  • Detail of St. Vitus Reliquary, late 15th century
    Detail of St. Vitus Reliquary, late 15th century
  • Sword of Saint Wenceslas, 10th century
    Sword of Saint Wenceslas, 10th century
  • Glove of St. Adalbert, 12th–14th century
    Glove of St. Adalbert, 12th–14th century
  • Coronation Cross of Bohemia, 14th Century
    Coronation Cross of Bohemia, 14th Century
  • St. Catherine Reliquary, 14th Century
    St. Catherine Reliquary, 14th Century
  • Staff of St. Peter, 14th Century
    Staff of St. Peter, 14th Century
  • Ring of St. Adalbert
    Ring of St. Adalbert
  • Sword of St. Stephen of Hungary
    Sword of St. Stephen of Hungary

References

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