Excursion

The excursion to Prague will be held on Friday 26 May 2017. We will visit Prague Castle – the Exhibition The Story of Prague Castle with exposed archaeological textiles from the royal tombs and depositories, where the textiles are stored, and City Museum with an exhibition of medieval textile and dyeing.

NESAT XIII – information for participants of an excursion

Prague Castle

Prague Castle has been an old centre of the Czech state for more than one thousand years. Its representatives ruled here and some of them also lived. Prague Castle used to be also the rulers’ funeral and coronation place. Prague bishops and archbishops also had a seat there or in surroundings and were there buried as well. Czech presidents have had their offices there from the time when the first democratic state Czechoslovakia arose in 1918 and also later when the former Czechoslovakia divided into two states Czechia and Slovakia.

Prague Castle is one from the largest castle complexes in Europa. Its site had been fortified from 9th century already, some towers from the later fortifications have been standing till nowadays. Several churches are situated there – St. Vitus Cathedral with the age-old spiritual centre of the state – the reliquary grave of St. Wenceslaus, the basilica and the cloister of St. Georg and the Church of All Saints. Some other have vanished during the time. The prince´s and later the king´s palace was widened permanently and was overbuilt many times. Other objects were also overbuilt, nobility and church dignities but also servants lived there. Many separate houses we incorporated into common long wings with a united façade in a late baroque. There are also large gardens around the site.

Large collections were gradually collected by rulers and members of their families, church dignities, nobilities and citizens. They are partly exhibited in permanent expositions as The Picture Gallery of Prague Castle, The Treasury of St. Vitus and The Story of Prague Castle, partly stored in depositories. Furniture makes equipment of the Representative rooms, but also of the castle Lány, that is placed not far and belongs also to the management of Prague Castle.

Textiles are stored in several places. Those that created the furniture of St. Vitus Cathedral are preserved in the depository directly in the church, other in the depository in the building of the former Institute of Noblewoman. They are partly exhibited in The Treasury of St. Vitus in the Chapel of St. Cross and in The Story of Prague Castle in the Old Royal Palace. They are cared in the specialized restoration workshop which are also placed in former Institute of Noblewoman.

https://www.hrad.cz/en/culture-at-the-castle

The City of Prague Museum – the exhibition From a Thread to a Shirt. Medieval Textile Production and Dyeing in Prague

Textile and its products were important parts of the everyday life of medieval Prague. Archaeological textile findings are important sources of understanding the appearance, quality, and use of textile products in the past.

The exhibition will introduce medieval textile and dyeing crafts during the 14th and 15th centuries. The process of textile origin as well as various production processes will be explained, and the equipment of weaving and dyeing workshops will be presented. In addition, various types of textiles, their practical use for everyday life, and the historic fashion of the inhabitants of the New Town of Prague in the High Middle Ages will be presented. A unique collection of a few hundred medieval textile fragments discovered during archaeological research of the dump layers in the centre of Prague is the core of the exhibition. In addition to the textiles, expert analytical research and restoration processes will be introduced. Furthermore, visitors will be able to admire the original archaeological findings, ethnographic materials, models of production facilities, and documentary films about working procedures. Tangible parts and chances to try out some textile production processes will be prepared for visitors.

http://en.muzeumprahy.cz/