Czech prince to raise funds through NFTs to restore family legacy

The artefacts reportedly include works of Mozart, Beethoven Bruegel, Canaletto, and Velazquez. But since they are considered national treasures, the pieces can`t be sold without the government`s permission.

New Delhi: A 27-year-old Czech prince from the 600-year-old Bohemian noble family is looking to raise funds for the restoration of his family’s legacy including a castle and several artefacts through NFTs.

The Lobkowicz family of the Czech Republic, considered of the richest back in the day, is said to have once sponsored the great musician Beethoven. But they lost their massive assets to the Nazis and the communists. They managed to get back Nazis and Communists in the 1990s.

However, it has been difficult for them to keep up with the maintenance.

“We don't get any public funding. My father sometimes says we are the richest poor people in the world. We are going to showcase some pieces that are in desperate need of restoration,” William Rudolf Lobkowicz, the prince, was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.

The artefacts reportedly include works of Mozart, Beethoven Bruegel, Canaletto, and Velázquez. But since they are considered national treasures, the pieces can't be sold without the government's permission.

Lobkowicz has now turned his hopes towards NFTs. He has planned a one-day conference called Non-Fungible Castle that will cost 400 euro for entry. Several panel discussions are lined up to explain NFTs and cryptocurrency.

The event will allow people to buy blockchain-based proofs that they contributed to restoring certain items. Half of the proceeds of sale of NFTs by the artists would go for the restoration of the Lobkowicz family assets.