St. Wenceslas' Crown

After the coronation of Charles IV as King of Bohemia, a new and singular ceremonial jewel was fashioned – the Crown of Saint Wenceslas. It was made from the old Přemyslid Crown and the monarch himself dedicated it to St Wenceslas. No Czech King was ever allowed to wear it, but could borrow it for his coronation, for a fee. The crown is of pure gold with gemstones and pearls, kept in a strongroom with seven locks above teh chapel of St Wenceslas in Prague Cathedral. The keys are held by the leaders of the Czech State: the President, the Prime Minister, the Archbishop of Prague etc. There is a legend that if the Crown is worn on the head of anyone other than the rightful Czech King, the wearer will soon die. It is reported that during WWII the Nazi Reichsportector for Bohemia and Moravia, Reinhard Heidrich, put it on – and died shortly afterwards at the hands of assassins. The story is probably apocryphal, but certainly interesting.