Czech Crown Jewels to Be Displayed in September
Czech Crown Jewels September Exhibition at Prague Castle
📅Date: September 18-28, 2026
📍Place: Valdislav Hall in the Old Royal Palace, Prague Castle
💸Admission: free
⏰Queueing time: several hours
⭐Local Tip: Bring water, an umbrella, and wear comfortable shoes
The exhibition offers a chance to experience one of the most treasured artefacts of Czech history up close. For visitors, it is not only a display of craftsmanship and gemstones, but also a direct encounter with centuries of Czech statehood and symbolism.
Important!
The Old Royal Palace will be closed to ordinary tourist visits as part of the Prague Castle Main Circuit Ticket from 4 September to 1 October 2026 inclusive.
Between 15 and 28 September 2026, however, it will be open in exhibition mode for the Crown Jewels display: from 15 to 18 September for pre-booked schools only, and from 18 to 28 September for the general public. This means regular tours such as our Complete Prague Castle tour with tickets included will not be covering the Old Royal Palace between September 4 and October 1.
Old Royal Palace Closure in September 2026
September 4-14, September 28-October 1: Old Royal Palace will be closed to the public. This means it will not be possible to visit the interiors, even with an entrance ticket. As far as we know, no discounts would be provided to reimburse visitors for the closure.
Czech Crown Jewels Value
The Czech Crown Jewels are among the most important symbols of Czech statehood and royal history. The set includes the Crown of Saint Wenceslas, the royal sceptre, the royal orb, and related coronation insignia, with the crown itself dating back to 1346, when it was commissioned by Charles IV for his coronation. The crown is decorated with 96 gemstones and 20 pearls, including sapphires, rubies, emeralds, a spinel, a rubellite, and an aquamarine, while the sceptre and orb are later Renaissance-era pieces from the 16th century.
These jewels are far more than precious objects; hence, they cannot be estimated in price. They represent the continuity of the Czech state, the legacy of the Bohemian kings, and the historic link between the monarchy and Prague Castle. For Czechs, the Crown of Saint Wenceslas is especially powerful as a national symbol, traditionally associated with legitimacy, sovereignty, and the protection of the country.
A wartime chapter
During World War II, the Crown Jewels were also connected to Reinhard Heydrich, the Nazi Reich Protector, who had access to them at Prague Castle in 1941. That episode later became part of the powerful wartime mythology surrounding the jewels, adding another layer to their status as symbols of Czech statehood and resistance.
Czech Crown Jewels in Sweden
Unlike many other valuable works of Bohemian art that were looted by the Swedish army during the Thirty Years’ War, the Czech Crown Jewels were never stolen by the Swedes. The royal regalia were kept in safe places such as St. Wenceslas Chapel and Karlštejn Castle during different historical periods. In 1648, when Swedish soldiers besieged Prague, they did plunder many artworks, sculptures, and manuscripts from Prague Castle and other locations on the left bank of the Vltava River, including the famous Devil’s Bible and sculptures by Adriaen de Vries, which are now in Swedish collections, especially in Stockholm.
Is the Czech Crown Jewels Exhibition Worth It? Honest Opinion
Although the Czech Crown Jewels are extremely valuable and attract thousands of visitors to Prague Castle every September, ordinary visitors may find the experience underwhelming. The main reason is that the lines to see the royal regalia can take hours. It is natural for travelers to wonder whether they are wasting their time waiting, and the answer may be “yes.” I would say: go and see the Crown Jewels if you have an extra three hours, but do not make it a priority on your first trip to Prague.
WRITTEN BY VALERY
Licensed Prague guide and co-creator of Real Prague Guides (50K+ YouTube subscribers). My company, 100 Spires City Tours, leads some of the highest-rated tours in Prague.
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