The exhibition Dying of an Emperor held in the Czech Museum of Music commemorates the death and funeral of King and Emperor Charles IV, the most popular monarch of the Czech Lands. He initiated a number of construction and renovation works in Prague, converting it into a city that was worth its imperial status, and contributed to the development of many other Czech towns as well. Czech people appreciate his legacy today as well as they did in the 14th century. According to a legend, it was in the ceremonial speech at this funeral when he was first referred to as the father of the country, a nickname that has survived until the 21st century
The exhibition presents the mourning ceremony and festivities associated with Charles IV’s funeral, reflecting the overall approach of the medieval society to death and dying. Selected items from the collections of the National Museum will be complemented with exhibits borrowed from other institutions and private collectors. The core of the exhibition will consist of important tangible heritage from the14th and 15th century. The most important set of exhibits will be a collection of original medieval burial fabrics and clothes from the Royal Tomb in the St. Vitus Cathedral, where Charles IV is buried.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a tour around places through which the funeral procession passed.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a tour around places through which the funeral procession passed.
