Charles Bridge

Charles Bridge on the Vltava River is located in the historical part of Prague: it connects Stare Mesto and Mala Strana – medieval districts of the Czech capital. The powerful half-kilometer long structure with heavy arches and bronze statues of Catholic saints is always full of tourists. Here you can make a wish, buy souvenirs from local artists and admire views of the river and coastal neighborhoods from observation decks on the bridge towers.

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Video: Charles Bridge at dawn

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General Information

Charles Bridge is a must-see attraction in Prague, no tour of the historic city center is without it. This fact was confirmed in the movie Spider-Man: Far From Home: Peter and MJ’s climactic explanation took place on the Charles Bridge – deep in the night, when there were finally no tourists left on it. At other times, the half-kilometer-long, nearly 10-meter-wide structure is quite crowded.

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History of Charles Bridge

In the second half of the 12th century, Italian craftsmen built the Judith Bridge on the Vltava River, named after the wife of King Vladislav I. The sturdy multi-arch structure made of spectacular red sandstone stood until 1342, when it was destroyed by a powerful flood. It was not rebuilt, but only connected the surviving arches with wooden bridges for pedestrians until the construction of a new bridge was completed. Frightened by the power of the elements Charles IV, who ascended the throne a few years after the disaster, ordered the court astrologer Ben Bezalel to compile a horoscope of the construction work so that the next bridge would not suffer the same fate. As a result of the predictions, the first stone of the future Charles Bridge was laid only in 1357, in the most favorable, according to the prediction, terms. The new bridge, named in honor of Charles IV, was fully opened to riders and pedestrians at the beginning of the 15th century.

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Architectural features

The structure consists of 16 heavy arches made of natural stone. Light-colored sandstone was chosen for the cladding – the red stone deposit had already been exhausted by the time construction began. On the eastern bank of the Vltava River at the beginning of the bridge, the Gothic Old Town Tower stands at the water’s edge. The western, unpaired Malostranskie Towers are located strangely at first glance, far from the Vltava bank, among old houses. In fact, what appears to be the western shore is Kampa Island, separated from the Lesser Town by a narrow arm of the Vltava River – the Čertovka River. Where the island ends is where the Malostranskie Towers stand.

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Bridge Towers

The most spectacular tower is the Old Town Tower, built in the late 14th century on the east bank of the Vltava River. Above its arch are coats of arms with an eagle and a lion next to the figure of St. Vitus. Originally the Roman martyr, cooked in boiling oil in the 4th century, had nothing to do with Bohemia, but in the 10th century part of his relics were presented to the ruler of the country. Since then he has become the main saint of Bohemia. To the right of the saint is a portrait of Charles IV, who started the construction of the bridge, and to the left – Wenceslas IV, the culprit of the appearance of a new saint for Catholics – Jan Nepomutsky. Below are the coats of arms of the lands that had become part of Bohemia by the 14th century. The tower was restored 150 years ago, adding small corner towers at the top, and today it is an excellent viewing platform. Tickets for it cost 90 crowns and are sold right in the building.

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The Malostranskie towers were not built at the same time. The lowest one, the oldest one, appeared at the time of the Judith Bridge, in the 12th century. The second, 40-meter high, was built in the middle of the 15th century on the site of a pre-existing Romanesque structure. Stylistically, it resembles the Old Town Bridge, although it lacks its solemn decorations. It too has an observation deck, and at the bottom of the building there is a tourist office where you can get a free map of Prague.

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Sculptures on Charles Bridge

Decorating the austere Charles Bridge began at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries, when several Baroque statues of Catholic saints revered by Czechs were installed on both sides of the bridge. The first works were created by the German sculptor Rauchmiller and the local Brokof family. In total, there are 30 individual figures and sculptural groups on the bridge. The most revered statue is a depiction of the Great Martyr Jan Nepomucký. He went against the will of King Wenceslas IV, refusing to reveal the secret of the confession of the monarch’s wife, and was thrown directly from the Charles Bridge into the waters of the Vltava. Since then, the canonized saint has been considered the patron saint of all those connected with fresh water: ship owners, river mills and fishermen. Several mills have been preserved on the Čertovka River and can be seen from Charles Bridge. Ironically, the sculptural portrait of the sadistic king is placed here on the facade of the Old Town Tower.

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One of the good tourist traditions is to touch the pedestal of the statue of Jan Nepomucký on the north side of Charles Bridge, making a wish. The bronze figure, which has turned green from time, can be recognized by the halo with stars, a giant golden feather and a large crucifix in his hands. A sculptural group relevant to Orthodoxy is Cyril and Methodius, who gave the Slavs their own written language, and to whose feet the miniature human figures are placed.

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Charles Bridge Museum

The Charles Bridge Museum is located on the western, Old Town bank. It is open daily, in low season from 10:00 to 18:00, from May to September until 19:00. The ticket costs 170 crowns, for those who purchase a comprehensive tour on foot and by boat of the Prague Venice, admission is free. The exposition includes a model of the medieval Charles Bridge, the result of archaeological excavations – the original entrance to the Judith Bridge, elements of the former Gothic church and its restored model, clay sketches of statues of saints decorating the bridge. The museum shop sells figurines of saints, knights, goblets, jewelry and books.

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Restaurants and cafes near Charles Bridge

Eating out near the Charles Bridge is easy – there are dozens of cafes on both banks of the Vltava River to suit all tastes. A miniature coffee shop with local alcoholic drinks and sweets operates right in the Charles Bridge Museum. John Lennon’s pub awaits guests on Kampa Island, which can be reached by descending the stairs behind the knight’s statue; there is also the popular Kampa Park restaurant overlooking the river. Next to the Old Town Tower on the south side is the Charles Bridge restaurant with national cuisine in the medium price category and the rather expensive Mlynec restaurant. On the western side, at the very beginning of the bridge, there is the restaurant Pod Mostem, famous for its abundance of beer and wine appetizers. Finally, 100 meters west of the Malostranskie Towers is the invariable McDonald’s.”

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How to get there

The nearest metro station is located on the Old Town side, 500 meters north of Charles Bridge, on Malá Strana it is even longer to walk from the station of the same name – about 800 meters. The most convenient way to get there is by streetcar to the stop “Malostranske nameste” 200 meters west of the unpaired towers or “Karlovy lázně” 200 meters south of the Old Town Tower.

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