Lord Byron’s amulet, Marie Antoinette’s prayer book, Alexander Dumas’ desk or an un-smoked cigarette of Emperor Napoleon III are all to be seen in the extensive collection of curiosities, which the Austrian Chancellor Klemens von Metternich gathered at his chateau. Despite the fact that he was unpopular and feared in the Czech lands and lived most of his life in Vienna, he did love his summer residence in the spa region of West Bohemia. He borrowed a staggering amount from the banker Rothschild to repair it and instead of repaying the money, elevated Rothschild’s children to the peerage.