The ten-part cycle of the Czech National Bank Castles represents its fifth issue. On a gold coin with a nominal value of CZK 5,000 embossed in top quality proof, you will find Zvíkov, which is invited by the king of Czech castles.

The fort was built on a rocky outcrop at the confluence of the Vltava River with Otava, where our ancestors lived at prehistoric times. Zvikov's owners were gradually the greatest dynasty of our history - the Přemyslids, the Luxemburgs, the Rožmberks and the Schwarzenbergs - but the legends include the descendants of the Czech forefather. Despite the fact that the castle was primarily the role of a military building providing political stability, the most valuable and the most beautiful place on Zvíkov is undoubtedly a chapel, preserved in the original form from the second half of the 13th century without major interventions. The chapel was then completed with the building of the royal palace and its task was to reflect the power of King Přemysl Otakar II. The inscriptions to this day say, "I am the lion in the shield of the king of the land of Bohemia," or "the king, you are the rocks of peace, so do your name". The rich painting decoration of the chapel comes from the 15th century and the fragment of the impressive altar of Christ's Lamentation has been preserved since the beginning of the 16th century. The woodcut captures the kneeling Mary in silent prayer over Christ's body. The body of the dead lies on a shroud laid on the ground, and his head rests on Mary's knee.

The first prize in the Czech National Bank was given to the designer of an expert medalmaker Luboš Charvat (from his studio Pernštejn Castle was created), especially "for the extraordinary rendering of the wood carving fragment of the altar woodcut on the front of the design and the original combination of the most characteristic objects of Zvíkov Castle - in the foreground Písecká brána with the tower Hláska, in the background Tomb tower with the chapel of St. Wenceslas".

All Czech coins - commemorative and circular - are issued by the Czech Mint in Jablonec nad Nisou. All ten gold coins with the motifs of our most beautiful castles can be stored in a stylish collector´s etui.