This year, the Charles Bridge Museum, in cooperation with the Šumava Museum in Kašperské Hory, has prepared an exhibition of Šumava folk nativity scenes. The oldest known record of the construction and display of a nativity scene in a church in Bohemia dates back to Prague in 1562. The Enlightenment reforms of Emperor Joseph II contributed to the popularization of nativity scenes in Bohemia, when nativity scenes were reportedly banned from churches as an undignified and tasteless expression of piety. From the 19th century onwards, nativity scenes found refuge and popularity in homes. The Šumava and Pošumaví regions are among the most traditional areas for nativity scene making. Czech folk nativity scenes are characterized by the popularization of the Christmas mystery, sometimes even secular expressions or fairy-tale versions of the story of Jesus’ birth. More than the basic scene, folk woodcarvers often focus on secondary scenes and characters, enjoying portraying shepherds and simple people in their typical activities. Folk nativity scenes thus vividly reflect the life of the Czech countryside of their time. Building nativity scenes was particularly popular in old mining towns, so it is no surprise that Kašperské Hory and its surroundings had a strong nativity scene tradition in the past. date and time 26. 11. 2025 — 2. 2. 2026 Opening hours Mon–Sun 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.