The Bohemian Crown Jewels are permanently stored in a heavily guarded, restricted chamber inside St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle. Specifically, they are kept in a safe behind a door in the St. Wenceslas Chapel, which requires seven keys to open, held by seven different high-ranking state and church officials.
Vitus Cathedral Requires a Ticket for Entry. Normally, visitors can explore the front part of St. Vitus Cathedral for free and only need a ticket to explore the entire interior.
Did you know that Alnwick Castle played a starring role as the magical Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in two Harry Potter films? That's right, you can visit the real-life Harry Potter castle location in Northumberland.
Photography is prohibited in the Jewel House to prevent potential criminals from using images to identify security weaknesses surrounding the royal gems.
The Koh-i-Noor diamond is currently held by the British Crown, set in the Crown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and is displayed publicly in the Jewel House at the Tower of London, as part of the British Crown Jewels collection. Although it's a significant part of the royal collection, its ownership remains a point of historical contention, with several countries claiming rightful ownership.
The oldest European crown jewels of monarchs are the Iron Crown of Lombardy (9th century, now in Monza), the Imperial Regalia (10th century, now in Vienna), the Holy Crown of Hungary (10th–11th century, now in Budapest) and the Bohemian crown jewels (1347, now in Prague).
As a tourist in Prague, avoid eating at Old Town Square restaurants, buying Russian Matryoshka dolls, exchanging money on the street for bad rates, getting scammed by "cannabis" cookies, and making a toast without eye contact. Also, don't forget your passport, stick only to central areas, ignore local customs like standing on the right on escalators, and be prepared for walking and crowds.
The royal crypt underneath the cathedral contains the graves of Charles IV, his four wives, Wenceslas IV, Ladislas the Posthumous, George of Podebrady, Rudolf II and the daughter of Maria Theresa of Austria Marie Amalie of Austria. How to get there: St Vitus Cathedral is the dominant of Prague Castle complex.
General Tipping Culture in Prague. Tipping in Prague is a customary practice but not as rigidly defined as in some other countries. While tipping is appreciated in many situations, it's not always expected, and the amount largely depends on the quality of service and personal preference.
Is it worth going inside Rosenborg Castle? From my visit, I'd say yes, it's certainly worth your time to go inside. Stepping through the doors feels like entering a time capsule of Danish royal history. The interiors are beautifully preserved, giving you a real sense of how things once were.
Glass products from Czechia are prized on the world market and the most popular of which is lead crystal, cut glass and glass figurines, Christmas ornaments, domestic glass and chandeliers.
The Koh-i-Noor diamond, originating in India, is currently part of the British Crown Jewels, held by the British monarch and displayed at the Tower of London, though ownership is disputed by India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, with claims rooted in colonial acquisition in 1849 from the Sikh Empire.
They have been kept in the Tower of London under lock and key since the 1600s2 and only three people are allowed to touch them – the monarch, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the crown jeweller.
Why is it illegal to take photos of the Eiffel Tower at night?
The tower's copyright has expired, so daytime images can be used for any purpose. At night, it's a different story. The tower's light installation (1985) is still protected under copyright. So, if you take and share a nighttime picture of the Eiffel Tower, you could be subject to copyright violations.
The crown jewels, including the Imperial State Crown, are cleaned every January as part of the official crown jeweler's contract. For your own collection, Prentice recommends cleaning your jewelry regularly, though how often depends on the item.
After she died in 1901, it was set in the Crown of Queen Alexandra. It was transferred to the Crown of Queen Mary in 1911, and to the Crown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 1937 for her coronation. Today, the diamond is on public display in the Jewel House at the Tower of London.
CECIL COURT THE REAL DIAGON ALLEY. Cecil Court being "just off Charing Cross Road" and with its curious mix of bookshops and antique shops, is widely believed to be the real Diagon Alley, or at least the thoroughfare on which Diagon Alley was based.
Today, restoration and improvements are ongoing but the rich history of this extraordinary building is present in every stone. While the castle is open for the public to visit, Percy family members do indeed still live there.
