For several centuries, the Czech Republic has been renowned as a world center for the production of high-quality glass and crystal. Come with us to visit workshops outside Prague where Venetian mirrors and stained glass are produced.
5-8 HOUR ROUND TIP

Most of 24 glassmakers mentioned in Prague in the 14th century were involved in the manifacture of windows ( stained-glass panes , or fillers made of so-called glass „bull´s – eyes – crown glass ) , as the widespread production of hollow glass directly in Prague cannot be presupposed , albeit that it also cannot be ruled out. These glassmakers are most often designated in Latin as „vitreator“ , „vitrofex“ or „vitrista“ and less often using the Czech word „sklenar“ or the German word „glazer“ . In most cases , it is not possible to discover where they came from . Some of glassmakers took part in the creation of the 85 square metres mosaic of the Last Judgement on the Golden Gate of St. Vitus Cathedral in 1370-1371. In 1348-1419 , 7 mirror makers also worked in Prague .

In the 15th century the glass consumption continued to rise and the primary glassmaking production in the border mountains developed more quieckly. In the 16th century not only thin-walled , blown glass beads , which were imported from Venice ( Italy ) , but also Venetian flat mirrors appeared in Prague. WE even know the name of one Venetian mirror maker Rehor Rusek who had a workshop in Prahue from about 1530 .

In about the 1670s – 1690s , Bohemian glassworks combined the Venetian and traditional Central European technologies , in order to give rise to a completely new type of glass melt – Bohemian crystal , a hard , perfectly transparent glass imitating rock crystal . This glass was an ideal material especially for engraving , which found the new expression in it.

The leading work of the Prague glassmakers of the 18th century was the lining of the mirror-Chapel in Clementinum completed in 1726. The Czech chandeliers with trimmings graced the halls of Versailles , Marly and Choissy in France , Brussels and elsewhere , they were admired also at the coronation of Empress Maria Theresa in Prague in 1743 .

In the 19th century – glass adapted to the new life-style and , together with porcelain and pottery , it replaced pewter . Sets for hot and cold drinks , various types of goblets , table services for meal condiments , table accessories for food or flowers and so on were common . New utility types of glass also appeared in the form of various types of commercial packaging ( cosmetis, alcoholic beverages and so on ) and medicinal or health care glass . Glass was also more common in hostelry operations .

In the 18th century the local glassmakers sought other ways in which to reassert themselves in the international market and began to experiment with the new types of glass and refining techniques. The first involved black and red hyalite and the painting refining techniques of Friedrich Egermann from Novy Bor (Haida) a yellow and red staining , lithyalines imitating marble and semi-percious stones , and so on , which in their artistic effect had much in common with the Empire style . The wide pallet of new types of transparent coloured glass for hollow and sheet glass was developed here .

In the end of the 19th century windows and door panels were mounted with etched , cut , painted or stained-glass panes . Art Nouveau and Modernism in architecture brought with them the more complex use of glass in various forms and stained glass and glass paintings in particular played a more significant role in profone architecture . Mosaics which were often deisgned by leading artists also found a new applications . There were installed mosaics in st. Vitus Cathedral .An excellent example of Art Nouveau work of the glassmaking and glazing workshops are stained glass windows , mosaics , etched door and window panels as well as the illumination of Obecni du?m ( Municipal House ) dating from 1908-1912 .

At the end of 1950s , Stanislav Libensky and his wife Jaroslava Brychtova achieved in their work the new expression of the relationship between glass and architecture . The most famous is the multi-coloured stained glass for the Chapel of Saint Wenceslas in Saint Vitus´ Cathedral and the glass cladding of the New Stage of the National Theatre .

1,5 hour from Prague to N

5-8 hour round trip



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