About the project
In 2025, the Czech and international public are commemorating the 150th anniversary of the first performance of Bedřich Smetana's symphonic poem Vltava. On this occasion, the National Heritage Institute launches the project VLTAVA Famed & Flowing, which aims to recall the importance of the Vltava River as a national symbol and cultural route in all its essential natural, cultural, social and economic contexts.
This project is joined by other institutions not only in the field of culture, but also in the field of transport and environmental protection. The year-long programme includes a series of cultural events, educational programmes, lectures, tours of Vltava sites and will culminate in September with an exhibition of the same name (VLTAVA Famed & Flowing) in the Prague Castle Riding School. It will present a unique collection of artworks, monuments and historical documents connected with the Vltava River, in this scale and complexity for the first time in history.
The Vltava forms the backbone of the Czech Republic’s water system. It is a shaping force of the landscape, a river of legends and history, and a living link between historic towns, villages, castles, and chateaux—flowing through the rich tapestry of our cultural and historical heritage.
The patronage of the exhibition and the project was taken over by:
President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel
Minister of Culture Martin Baxa
Minister of Transport Martin Kupka
Governor of the Central Bohemian Region Petra Pecková
Governor of the South Bohemian Region Martin Kuba