Prohlídka Pernštejnské truhly

For centuries, no one had any idea that a treasure chest was hidden in the basement of Pardubice Castle. A massive chest, three and a half meters long and one meter wide, made of roughly hewn planks and reinforced with iron bands, was discovered by the castle’s caretaker in a small cellar beneath the castle chapel as late as the 19th century. It has survived to this day not only thanks to the stable climate but primarily because, ever since the time of Vilém of Pernštejn, its size has prevented it from being moved out of the cellar. The chest served as a vault for storing the most important documents, contracts, gold, and valuables. It was designed to hold hundreds of kilograms of gold and silver. Access to it leads through the castle chapel, down a narrow spiral staircase, and through underground corridors past several massive oak doors with imposing locks. The chest itself is secured by hasps and mechanical locks. Today, it is the only surviving piece of the castle’s late-Gothic furnishings. Its conservation was successfully completed in 2018.

Tour capacity is limited to 10 people; reservations are required.