Exhibition on Czech culture to open Thursday in Taipei

Taipei, June 12 (CNA) An exhibition showcasing artifacts used by Czech royalty and nobility from Medieval times through to the 19th century will begin Thursday at National Taiwan Museum in Taipei.

The exhibition, titled Czech Castles and Chateaux, features paintings and models of castles and chateaux in the Central European country, as well as artifacts such as jewelry, theater costumes, apparel, porcelain sculptures, weaponry, tableware and interior decor that offer visitors a glimpse into the lives of Czech royalty and aristocrats.

At a press event to announce the exhibition, Czech Senate Vice President Jiří Drahoš said castles and chateaux are ubiquitous in the Czech countryside, and he hopes the event will offer visitors a flavor of what they can expect if they visit the country.

In addition to introducing Czech culture, the exhibition also aims to promote tourism from Taiwan to the Czech republic, Drahoš said.

Citing his meeting with Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) earlier in the morning, Drahoš said the two agreed that there should be more flights between the two countries, and expressed hope that interest among Taiwanese in visiting the Czech Republic will rise on the back of the exhibition, motivating Taiwan's state-run China Airlines to add more flights between Taipei and Prague.

Czech Representative to Taiwan David Steinke said castles are the location of many Czech fairy tales and literature in general and a source of pride among the public.

Echoing Drahoš' hopes of boosting bilateral tourism, Steinke noted that Foxconn founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) has bought a chateau in the country and joked that "we still have a lot of them for purchase," encouraging people who want to follow in Gou's footsteps to "go to the Czech Republic and pick one."

The exhibition, curated by the Czech National Museum and National Heritage Institute of the Czech Republic, runs until Nov. 30.