Greetings, friends! The Vltava River in Prague, in my opinion, is an additional decoration of the city. The capital of the Czech Republic is very well located on both banks of the river, not afraid of rocky cliffs. For more than a thousand years, the city grew and was built up, and now the Vltava divides Prague quite equally into two parts, which are equally interesting for their attractions.
If there were no river in the central part of the city, would there be such excellent views of these famous attractions:
In the old days, the bridge in this place was much more exotic - it was hanging and was called Rudolph's Shop. The 3.35 m wide pedestrian shop existed from 1869 until 1914, after which the chain structure was replaced by reinforced concrete. At first the bridge was named in honor of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and later renamed Manesov, immortalizing the name of the famous Czech artist.
The Charles Bridge
We are approaching the center and the most popular bridge of Prague - Charles. Founded in 1357, the history bridge has served people since the seventh century:
The pedestrian bridge with a sculpture gallery is certainly the most memorable attraction, and complemented by bridge towers, it has become nothing less than a symbol of Prague:
I have already described in detail the history of the construction of the bridge, its sculptural richness and atmosphere in articles and. I recommend following the links. The Charles Bridge deserves a closer look.
The Bridge of Legions or Legia is the name given to the bridge that stretches from the National Theater to the foot of Petrin Hill. This is one of the most long connections two banks of the Vltava. At this point the river is wider and includes several islands - Streletsky, Zzofin Island and Detsky.
The Legia Bridge also replaced its predecessor, dedicated to Emperor Franz Joseph I. Since the mid-19th century, the Franz I Bridge was made of iron, but at the turn of the century it was rebuilt in stone, decorated with pylons with Baroque turrets:
The nine spans of the bridge rest on powerful, but not devoid of grace, figured supports. The bridge is good no matter how you look at it. This perspective opens from Streletsky Island, which is located under the Legia Bridge:
Actually, you can only get to it from this bridge, going down the main staircase. The Lehi Bridge changed its name several times, but in 1989 they finally decided on this issue.
The bridge, named after the Czech public figure and writer Alois Jirasek, is relatively young, as it was built in 1929-31. The 6-span bridge connects Nove Mesto at the Masaryk Embankment with the Smichov district on the opposite bank:
Jiraskov Bridge stretches for 310 m. It is convenient to get to Children's Island along it. This bridge does not have any attractions, but there are interesting objects. From the embankment side, this is the modern and medieval Shitkovskaya Tower.
Do you think there are no more bridges across the Vltava within Prague? Not at all. There are more than a dozen of them. If you look from Visegrad towards the center, in the foreground there will be Iron Bridge and Palatsky. To help tourists figure it out, a stone map was installed on one of the observation platforms in Visegrad depicting bridges and attractions along the banks of the Vltava that come into view:
By the way, the Vltava from the Visegrad Rock is also pleasing to the eye. In sunny weather, the river, like a mirror, reflects the rays, and everything sparkles when you look at it from above.
Friends, if you have already visited Prague, walked along the Charles Bridge and enjoyed the views of the Vltava in the center, but have not yet made it to or to the Letensky Gardens, next time include these points in your routes. The Vltava and its bridges look superb from the above-mentioned hills.
Your euro guide Tatyana
Bridges and the Vltava... The silver thread of the river, winding through the valley, crosses Prague in the middle, and across it are bridges along which roads pass, bridges like intricate buckles made of the most unusual materials. And at the same time - no matter how incredible it may seem - the city got along with one bridge for a thousand years. We know that on the site of the oldest Prague bridge - Charles - already in the 30s of the 10th century there was a wooden bridge and the body of St. Wenceslas from Stara Boleslava was transported across it to the Castle. This, in all likelihood, wooden structure was destroyed by a flood in 1157, and Vladislav II had no choice but to build a new bridge across the river; in honor of Queen Judith, who oversaw the work, he was named Judith. The bridge was located approximately in the same place where the Charles Bridge now stands, only slightly to the north, and for its time it was the only technical structure of its kind on a European scale.
The Judith Bridge, however, also did not last forever: in 1342, a flood demolished 2/3 of this capital Romanesque building, and after some time only the remains of the supports in the river remained from the bridge.
Charles Bridge, which rose at this place, reached 520 meters in length and 10 meters in width and rested on sixteen arches made of limestone blocks, while the Judith Bridge was attached to 24 supports and, obviously, offered greater resistance to water, and as a result she overpowered him.
Charles Bridge, the construction of which began in 1357, at that time was already being compared with similar structures in Europe. They usually said: the Dresden bridge is the most spectacular, the longest, and the Prague bridge is the strongest. The bridge was so wide at that time that tournaments could even be held (and were held!) on it. For example, in 1436 in honor of King Zikmund. However, we are interested in the name of its creator - he was none other than Petr Parler. In the Baroque era (1683-1714), the bridge was decorated with thirty more statues and groups of saints, so that they formed perhaps the longest gallery of its kind for that time. Such famous sculptor as Matthias Braun, masters of the Brokoff family, Jan Bedřich Kol and other sculptors of the Baroque era participated in the creation of these masterpieces. The most artistically valuable baroque sculptural group of Saint Luittarde, author M. B. Brown (this is the first famous work master).
Like all its predecessors, Charles Bridge suffered repeated floods; the biggest test, undoubtedly, came in 1890, when even some of the sculptures were damaged. And yet the bridge withstood all the tests, endured all the floods, all the horrors of war, and survived. He witnessed the Hussite wars, the flight of Frederick of the Palatinate after defeat in the Battle of Belogorsk. In 1648, it became the site of battles between Swedish troops and residents of the Old Town and students, led by Jiřík Plahij. Fighting broke out here in the revolutionary year of 1848. Coronation processions have taken place here since Charles IV. The bridge was long called “Prague” or “Stone”. This building received the epithet “Karlov”, in fact, quite “recently”, only in 1870.
It is very interesting that this one bridge was enough for Prague from the era of Charles until almost the middle of the last century. Both banks of the silver river were connected, however, by countless ferries. It was only in the 20s of the last century that the idea was born to build another bridge that would connect the section of the coast where it now stands. National Theater, with the opposite bank. And in 1842, a chain empire bridge was built on this site - Shnirkhov; Only in 1901 was it replaced by a new, more modern structure - this is the current 1st May Bridge.
Development railways led to the fact that Vysehrad was connected to Smichov by a railway bridge, which has survived to this day. Year of birth - 1871. Soon after this, in 1878, the Palacky Bridge crossed the Vltava - the second only stone structure of this type in Prague. And on the site of the modern Shverma Bridge under the former monastery of St. Anezka's fourth bridge was erected - the chain bridge of Franz I. And finally, near the island of Švanice, another railway bridge crossed the Vltava - its construction coincided with the development of railways in the last century.
It seems incredible that even in modern times Prague managed with so few connecting links between both banks of the Vltava. However, the Vltava itself probably had a completely different view than the one that opens up to us today - the distance between the few individual bridge structures was so great that the vast expanse of the Vltava appeared in the foreground. All this changed in our century - new bridges divided the river into much smaller sections, and thus a different landscape was born, full of charm: the bridges lined up one after the other, as if forming backstage, and gave Prague a peculiar flavor of a big city.
Let's look at a number of these concrete, stone and metal structures, starting with the railway bridge at Visegrad. We have already talked about the Palacky Bridge, the second stone bridge after Charles. It is also worth mentioning the tragic episode at the end of the Second World War, which left its mark on this building, changing its appearance. Then there were still four sculptural groups here, magnificent creations of the sculptor I.V. Myslbek. On the Novomestsky shore it was Libuše and Přemysl and the legendary singer Lumir; on the Smíchov shore - Tstirad with Sharka and Zabo with Slavoj. The raid by American planes on February 14, 1945 did not leave its mark on this building either. Seriously damaged sculptures had to be removed immediately after the end of the war and moved to a more quiet place on Vysehrad.
And now we have already approached the first bridge created in our century - this is the Irasekov Bridge; its width could already satisfy the ever-increasing demands of Prague transport. The bridge was built in 1928 and received its name in honor of the writer, author of historical novels Alois Irasek, primarily because Irasek lived and worked near the place where the bridge now stands for 27 years (from 1903 to 1930). On the Novomestsky bank, directly opposite the bridge, a monument to Irasek was erected, as well as an old apartment building with a memorial plaque.
We have already mentioned the May 1st Bridge, and we have already presented the Charles Bridge, so we will go further along the banks of the Vltava, to Red Army Square with the Rudolfinum and the building of the Faculty of Philosophy. Here, the concrete Manes Bridge leads to Charles, the construction of which began in 1911 and was completed during the First World War, in 1916.
Next comes the shortest of Prague's bridges, which connects the Old Town Square and the Legendary Bank; its length is only 170 meters, it bears the name of Svatopluk Čech. Immediately behind it, the next one rises above the river, the Shverma Bridge, which leads to the Legen tunnel. There was once a chain bridge here, which was later replaced by a modern concrete structure; it was commissioned in 1951. The Glavkov Bridge is unusual, consisting of two independent structures. The first, iron, was completed in 1910, the second part was put into operation two years later and was the first concrete bridge structure in Prague. Sculptors such as Stursa, Mařatka and Gutfreund took part in its decoration, and thanks to their sculptures, this project, in general with a purely functional bent, became valuable in an artistic sense. The bridge could be divided into two independent parts only because it crosses the largest Prague island - Štvanice.
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And finally, we will present to you another “most ...” One of the most long bridges In Prague, the Libensky Bridge became 341 meters long and 21 meters wide. Stepping over the Vltava and the Holešovice pier, it connects two Prague districts - Holešovice and Libeň. The bridge is concrete, it was completed in 1928 almost simultaneously with the Barricade Defenders Bridge, the last bridge structure along the river within the city.
This bridge, a link between the center of Prague and the zoo, became one of the strongholds of the Prague Uprising in May 1945.
When a guest who has arrived in Prague climbs Legna and looks down at the river connected by a cascade of bridges, he will probably forget all the details of our story, information about sculptures, building materials will slip from his memory and only general impression, evidence of human ingenuity and talent, the scenes with which modern technology and the creative work of man of our century decorated the river. And in this long series of bridges, somewhere out there, in a bluish haze, one gets lost unique creation Gothic, the famous Charles Bridge, one of the most valuable monuments of the continent on which we live. But bridges in Prague are not only bridges over the Vltava. Standing apart is the Powder Bridge - the only entrance to the Castle through the Deer Moat, which was once a natural fortification of Prague Castle (it also housed deer from 1565 until the 18th century).
For many decades there has been talk about a project for a bridge across the Nuselska Valley, which would connect Nove Mesto with the Pankratska Plain in the south of the city. True, at first it seemed like a pipe dream, but to implement any project it must become a necessity. After decades of searching, drafting and sketching in the second half of the 60s, the bridge was finally built because it became necessary: tens of thousands of residents Southern city you need to quickly get to the center of Prague; The need to cross the city via the North-South highway, the route of which could only pass here, became equally urgent. Nowadays the bridge is operational, its length is 490 meters, and a metro tunnel passes under it. Four pylons support the bridge at a height of 40 meters above the “bowl” of the Nusel Valley. So the construction of the bridge involved not so much overcoming a water barrier (if we consider the Botich River flowing through the valley as a similar barrier), but rather overcoming the complexities of the Prague terrain.
The second similar bridge structure on land is an arched highway overpass connecting Vysočany with another large modern district of Prague, the Northern City, which has rapidly grown on a hill above Vysočany. Another bridge is being designed, which will be a component of the already mentioned North-South highway and will be transferred via Prague-Stršed train station (Prague-Centre). This bridge will be almost a continuation of the Glavkov Bridge.
The history of the beautiful Prague is connected with the Vltava River, which brings life to the people who settled on its banks. “Wild water,” as the river was called in ancient times, was fraught with many surprises associated with floods and floods that destroyed people’s homes. Humanity has always tried to tame her temper. Numerous locks were built and bridges were erected. One of the rulers of the water element of the river was the Charles Bridge, which connected the two banks. Like a unique necklace, it not only restrains the rebellious Vltava, but also adorns it with dignity, becoming a landmark of Prague.
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The Charles Bridge is considered the oldest architectural structure in the capital, being a symbol of the Czech Republic. Among the 18 bridges of the city, it stands out for its beauty and unique atmosphere of antiquity. Performing functions transport communication, the bridge has been of strategic importance throughout Europe since the Middle Ages. The “Royal Route” ran along it, connecting the Old Town with Prague Castle. The bridge has long been a pedestrian bridge only, but walking along it, with bated breath, you can hear the sounds of the king’s chariot hurrying to the luxurious Royal Court.
Almost on the site of the stone bridge until the 12th century there was a wooden bridge, destroyed by the evil forces of the river in 1157. The order of Vladislav II to build a new stone bridge was executed by 1172. It was called Juditin after the king's wife. The building stood for almost 170 years. Now the remains ancient bridge are interesting artifacts of antiquity, put on display next to the tower and in the basement of the house located at 82 Lusatian Seminary Street. Its destruction was a national disaster. It was necessary to build a special bridge that would not be subject to floods or other natural disasters.
Any forces were brought in to help, even magical ones, suggested by the astrologers of those times. At their prompting, the laying of the first stone of the bridge was carried out by King Charles IV in 1357, on July 9, at 5 hours, 31 minutes. The numbers 1,3,5,7,9,7,5,3.1, making up a pyramid decorated with the number 9, were considered favorable for the beginning of the construction of an object designed to last for centuries. The completion of construction dates back to 1402. The main building material for its creation was a sandstone monolith. Both sides are securely reinforced powerful towers, designed, like the bridge itself, by 22-year-old architect Petr Parperzh. By this time, his talent had already manifested itself during the construction of the Church of St. Vitus.
The total length of the structure is about 520 m, its width is almost 10 m. The structure is supported by 16 arches lined with processed monolithic slabs. They say that the devil helped hold back the flow of water from the restless Vltava. The architect, who entered into a cunning agreement with him, which consisted of transferring the soul of the first pedestrian across the bridge, slipped the devil in place of his son, a black rooster that defeated him. Now the devil reminds of himself in the form of a ghost on a cloudy day, handing out his portrait to passers-by. But this is just an interesting legend among the many stories about the sights of Prague. The original name of the bridge is considered to be Stone, then Prague.
Since 1870 it began to be called Charles Bridge. All the main historical events of Prague are connected with this bridge. For example, the passage of the Hussites to Prague Castle in 1420, the broken attack of the Swedes in 1648, the famous barricades located in the bridge tower during the European Revolution of 1848. Even the consequences of the catastrophic flood in 1890, which damaged the bridge, were completely eliminated by restoration work that lasted two years. A major overhaul of the bridge was carried out in 1975.
The bridge had a horse-drawn track, illuminated by kerosene lanterns, which were replaced by gas lighting in 1866. Electricity made it possible to create a tram service here between the banks of the river in 1908. The melodious ringing of the tram, with the original current collection device for the lower part of the train, replaced the clatter of the hooves of the old horse-drawn tram, lasting until 1974, when the bridge became a pedestrian bridge.
Street artists, sellers of folk art products, and musicians became permanent owners of the bridge. The famous sculptures that have adorned it for six thousand years, the ancient towers, the natural strength of the stones hanging by the water fill the atmosphere of the bridge with a positive aura. It consists of the energy of myths and legends, which attracts millions of tourists to the bridge regardless of the time of year.
The extraordinary strength of the stone giant is associated with the legend of a special solution of eggs, milk, and wine that holds sandstone monoliths together. It is believed that this is the only bridge structure in the world strengthened with such products. Not all are secrets ancient bridge have been revealed by now. For example, information from scuba divers who examined one of the foundations of the bridge about the discovery of an inexplicable layer of compacted moss that does not develop under water in natural conditions.
Usually, the inhabitants of the 14th century collected it in the fir forest, laid it among gravel, between stones to create optimal conditions for distributing the weight of the bridge. Or maybe this is determined by the magical forces guarding one of the most beautiful ancient buildings in Prague.
Bridge towers
The functions of the coastal fortifications of the ancient structure were performed by the towers standing on both sides of the river. For a long time they simultaneously served as a ceremonial decoration of the building. These are architectural masterpieces, and are still functioning.
Old Town Bridge Tower
When approaching the bridge from the east, one cannot help but admire the beautiful European building of the Middle Ages, called the Old Town Tower. The Eternal Stone Bridge looks even more majestic from the height of the Gothic tower, erected on the intermediate support of the bridge in 1390. She hung right above the waters of the raging Vltava. The height of the tower is almost 50 m above the surface of the bridge. A staircase leads to its interior. The top is decorated with valuable figured plastic. Above the gates of the tower are the coats of arms of different lands of the Roman Empire.
The figure of the famous kingfisher froze forever in the pointed arch of the tower. The premises of the building contain sculptures of the Czech saints Vitus, Vojtech, Sigismund, as well as the country’s kings Charles IV and Wenceslas IV, who went down in history. This confirms the tower's role as a triumphal arch. Two types of prisons were located in the tower. In the basement there was a prison for ordinary prisoners.
On the floor above there was a prison for convicted wealthy representatives of famous classes. During the excursions, it is proposed to examine the conditions of detention of prisoners. A saddle-shaped roof, bay windows, and sharp corner spiers complete the tower.
At the top there is a comfortable Observation deck, receiving visitors according to the following schedule: June-September from 10 to 22 o'clock, March-May, October from 10 to 19 o'clock, November-February from 10 to 17 o'clock in the evening. While walking, it is useful to remember that according to legend, you cannot hear the cry of an owl flying over the tower in order to prevent a fire in the house. Or notice a mysterious merman living under the base of one of the arches.
Lesser Town Towers
When approaching the bridge from the western direction, you need to stop at the tower walls, erected in different periods. They have a custom design architectural style. The low-rise building of the Romanesque period has existed since the 12th century. It was rebuilt and supplemented with elements of different styles. For example, around 1590 it acquired the features of the Renaissance style. The tower was part of a Romanesque fortress that served to protect the bridge. For some time the tower was used as a prison for dangerous criminals.
The construction of the second tower is associated with the reign of Jiří in 1464. The building resembles the Old Town Tower. A strong gate in the middle of the towers was made under Wenceslas IV. These were two walls connected by arched spans. Between them stood a massive oak door with iron bolts.
The role of decoration of the tower was played by battlements along the edges and hanging coats of arms. At the top of the tower there is an observation deck offering views of Prague Castle, cathedrals, and the city’s modern television tower. They get to it after climbing 146 steps of a special staircase. Behind the towers there are numerous cafes and restaurants where you can have a delicious lunch.
Sculptures
An extraordinary gallery, consisting of 30 thematic sculptural groups, adorns the bridge along its entire length. The best masters of those times created it from 1683 to 1714. Now there are copies of sculptures stored here since the 20th century among the exhibits of the National Museum of the Czech Republic. The right side of the bridge is decorated with the following sculptures of saints:
- Bernard Klerovsky and Madonna. (1709)
- Dominic and Thomas Aquinas at the feet of the Madonna. (1708)
- Crucifixion. The statue is placed on the site of the former cross, which was considered the only decoration in antiquity (1629). A plaque with an inscription in Hebrew praising Christ is attached to the bronze sculpture. The sculptural group is considered the most ancient in the gallery
- Anna holding her daughter (the future Virgin Mary) (1707)
- Cyril and Methodius. They read sermons to the pagans (1928) The statue was installed at the expense of the Czech Ministry of Education.
- John the Baptist (1857) The sculpture was installed on the site where John of Nepomuk was thrown into the river. In 1911, Jaroslav Hasek tried to jump into the waves of the river here. The jump did not take place thanks to a random passerby who managed to grab him by the leg
- Norbert, Vaclav, Sigismund (1853)
- John of Nepomuk (1683). Being the queen's clergyman, he deserved punishment for not revealing the queen's secret confession to her husband
- Anthony of Padua with the Child Jesus (1707)
- Apostle Jude Thaddeus (1708)
- St. Augustine (1708)
- Cajetan (1709)
- Philip Benitsky (1714)
- Vitus with tame lions (1714) According to legend, when the pagans gave Saint Vitus to be torn to pieces by lions, they licked his heels without causing harm
- Healers Cosmas and Damian (1709) The initiator of the creation of the sculpture is considered to be the administration of the Faculty of Medicine of Charles University
On the opposite side are the following sculptures of saints:
- Vaclav (1858)
- The sculptural ensemble includes the figures of John of Bohemia, John of Mata, Felix of Valois (1714). There is a dungeon inside the sculpture. It is guarded by a Turk and symbolizes a cave with Christians. Historically, this is associated with the founders of the order, Felix and Jan, who ransomed Christians from Turkish captivity. During the war years, the statue served as a sign of hope for the people of Prague. They brought flowers here. This is the most popular sculpture
- Vojtech (1709)
- Luitgarde talks with Christ (1710). The sculpture is considered a valuable element of the gallery, made in the Baroque style. This is the most beautiful sculpture in the gallery
- Nikolai Talentinsky
- Prokop of Sazavsky with angels by Saint Vincent
- Francis of Assisi
- Saint Lyudmila teaching her grandson to read. Then he becomes Saint Wenceslas (1720). Lyudmila is considered the first martyr in the Czech Republic to be baptized by Methodius. Together with Wenceslas, they are the most revered saints of the country
- Francis Borgia
- Christopher carrying the infant Christ across the Vltava
- Knight of Brunswick with a tamed lion. The sculpture is mounted on a support placed outside the bridge railings
- Joseph with baby Jesus
- Lamentation of Christ by John the Evangelist, Marina Magdalene
- Saints Barbara, Elizabeth, Margaret with a dragon's head near her feet
- Themis and Iva participating in resolving disputes between son and mother. The sculpture was installed on the initiative of the Faculty of Law
Make a wish
The magic of the structure gave birth to unusual customs that have become pedestrian traditions. A cherished dream comes true if you think about it in specific places on the bridge:
- Next to the statue of John of Nepomuk, which has serial number 8. At the same time, along with making a wish, you need to put your hand on the right side of the statue. Then touch the left side to the image of the dog
- On the grate located near Ian's figure. She points to the place from where the saint was thrown into the river. Place your fingers on five small stars. According to legend, they appeared above the water, showing people where the body of the saint was located.
They say that a wish will come true if you touch any bridge sculpture. And lovers should definitely kiss on it. Complements the extraordinary architectural complex bridge neo-gothic staircase going to the island of Campo. She has always been here. At first it was wooden, and since 1844 it became majestic and stone.
Where is it and how to get there
You can get to the Charles Bridge through each of the towers. You can get to the Lesser Town Towers, located from the western direction, by bus or tram. The stopping point is called Malostranské náměst. When traveling by metro, get off at the Malostranská stop on the green transport line. You can easily get to the Old Town Tower by tram or metro. Stopping points on the tram line are called Karlovy lázně, Národní divadlo, Staroměstská.
The ancient bridges of the planet evoke inexplicable feelings of touching the life of bygone civilizations, past centuries. Maybe standing on the amazing Charles Bridge, looking at the mysterious waters of the Vlatva River, you will be lucky enough to see the magical Czech stone called Vltavin. And it is his magical power, born during the catastrophic formation of the earth, that manifests itself on the bridge.
Every day thousands of people cross the Charles Bridge (Karlův most) in Prague. The reason for its popularity is simple: this medieval crossing today connects two of the most important areas of the city for tourists - Old city and Prague Castle.
Charles Bridge - history
Back in 1172, on the site of the Charles Bridge, a crossing over the Vltava River, the Judith Bridge, was built. Destroyed by the flood of 1342, it reminds of its existence only by the Small Bridge Tower, as well as several arches preserved in the basements of the houses.
The Czechs decided not to restore Juditin most. To the south of its ruins, the Charles Bridge was built under the leadership of the famous German-Czech architect, Peter Parler. The new structure was made taller and wider: with a length of 515.8 m, the width of the new structure increased by three meters, to 9.4 m, reaching 13.4 m in the most spacious area.
The exact date of the start of construction is known only from legends, which say that the time for the start of the first day of work was chosen by astrologers. They recommended laying the foundation stone for the future bridge on July 9, 1357 at 5:31 a.m., which Charles IV himself did.
Charles Bridge - Lesser Town Bridge Towers 
Charles Bridge - Old Town Bridge Tower
Charles Bridge - architecture
The model for construction was obviously the Stone Bridge in Regensburg. The canvas holds 16 arches made of sandstone. The bridge is protected by three towers, two of which are located on the Mala Strana side. At the same time, the Old Town Bridge Tower is considered one of the most beautiful Gothic buildings in the city and Europe.
Between 1683 and 1714 the bridge was decorated with a chain of 30 baroque statues. Today they have all been replaced by replicas, but in those days the most famous Bohemian sculptors took part in their creation. All the statues are dedicated to revered saints of the turn of the century. In 1965, for the purpose of preservation, they were moved to National Museum.
Charles Bridge - sculptures 
The Charles Bridge
It is interesting that among the sculptures of the Charles Bridge (this name was given to the crossing in 1870, on the wave of national revival) there are no representatives of politicians who advocated the creation of a strong Czech state. So, you can’t even find sculptures of Charles IV and Wenceslas IV here. You can only see the distributors and ideologists of Catholicism (St. Bernard, St. Ivo, Thomas Aquinas, etc.).
Charles Bridge (Karlův most), originally called Prague Bridge, has repeatedly been tested by natural elements and man-made incidents. Unlike its predecessor, it managed to survive. So, in 1432, three supports were damaged as a result of a flood, in 1496 the third arch broke, and in 1648 battles between the Swedes and Czechs were fought right on the bridge during the Thirty Years' War. At the same time, the crossing lost most of its decorations.
Despite the fact that later the Charles Bridge faced the destructive forces of nature (for example, in 1748, five pillars were damaged by a flood), the crossing received its modern appearance at the turn of the 17th - 18th centuries. However, it was not only the elements that continued to test her fate. At the end of the 19th century, a horse-drawn line was launched across the bridge, and later a tram with a lower current collection was launched. Fortunately, the city authorities came to their senses in time, and in 1974 they made the crossing pedestrian.
It is worth noting that the Charles Bridge, as the only connecting link between the two banks, played an important role in the history of the city’s development. So, when it became clear that its maintenance would require considerable sums, control over the payment of duties was entrusted to the Order of Malta and the Order of the Red Star Crusaders. Having gained control of the eastern and western parts of the bridge, respectively, they erected entire areas: one around the Maltese and Velkoprevorskaya squares, and the second near the Square of the Crusaders.
Like the bridge itself, the elements associated with it are architectural monuments. The neo-Gothic staircase to Campu Island (1844), all three towers, and stairs deserve the attention of travelers.
Charles Bridge - evening 
Charles Bridge - at dawn
This architectural object played an important role in the history of the city. According to legend, it was from here that John of Nepomuk, a revered Czech saint, was thrown into a sack. After the execution of the leaders of the anti-Habsburg uprising on June 27, 1621, the heads of 12 leaders of the Protestant movement hung on the Old Town Bridge Tower for 10 years. Since 1438, the Royal Route, the route along which future Czech rulers traveled to the coronation ceremony, passed over the bridge.
Today Charles Bridge is one of the most famous in Europe. Guests of Prague believe that wishes made here will definitely come true. Well, skeptics will undoubtedly enjoy getting acquainted with the unique work of art of medieval architects.
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Charles Bridge - address: Karluv most, 110 00 Prague 1
The history of the construction of the Charles Bridge began in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and ended at the beginning of the 15th century. Its predecessor was the Judith Bridge, built in 1172 during the reign of Ladislaus II and his wife, Queen Jutta of Thuringia, after whom it received its name. Charles IV found the bridge in the period of its active use, however, due to the growth in the field of construction, trade and public needs, the need for its modernization even then arose. During the flood that occurred in 1342, the Judith Bridge was severely damaged. Then the king decided to build a new, more improved bridge that would meet all modern needs.
According to legend, before starting construction, Charles IV asked astrologers for help. They determined the ideal time (year, day and hour) to begin construction of the “eternal” bridge. The ruler waited for the favorable moment determined by astrologers and laid the first stone. Until today, the Charles Bridge has not needed major repairs, only occasionally there is a need for minor restoration.
The structure connecting the two banks of the Vltava River was originally called the Stone Bridge or Prague Bridge, but in 1870 it was officially renamed in honor of its creator, Charles IV. Since those distant times, Charles Bridge has served as a link between Prague Castle and the Old Town. For many years it was used as the main road along which monarchs traveled from the Royal Court to the territory of the Castle. Ordinary citizens had to pay a fee for travel and passage along it.
In 1974 he received the status pedestrian bridge. Today you can see street artists, musicians, art dealers and sellers of various jewelry and souvenirs there.
Charles Bridge is a majestic structure supported by 16 powerful arches. The supports are finished with hewn sandstone slabs. Its height is 520 m and its width is approximately 10 m. The bridge is protected on both sides by three towers - two of them are on the Mala Strana side, and the third is located on the shore of the Old Town. The latter is often called one of the most amazing civil structures in the Gothic style.
The main bridge of Prague is decorated with a sculpture gallery of 30 statues depicting Czech saints. Most of them were created in the Baroque style between 1683 and 1714. The most famous Czech sculptors of that time participated in the design of the bridge: Matthias Braun, Jan Brokoff, as well as his sons, Ferdinand Maximilian and Michal.
The most famous sculptures of the unique gallery are the “Crucifixion” group, “The Vision of St. Luitgarde”, the stone face of John of Nepomuk, as well as the work of the sculptor Brokoff, depicting a Turk who guards captured Christians. The statue of John of Nepomuk depicts the martyr revered in the Czech capital, whom Wenceslas IV drowned in the waters of the Vlatva River. It is very popular on the Charles Bridge - there is a belief that if you touch it and make a wish, it will certainly come true in the near future.
Sculpture "Crucifixion":
Statue of the martyr John of Nepomuk:
Turk guarding Christians:
Beginning in 1965, all the statues were gradually replaced by copies, and the originals were moved to the National Museum at Vystaviste, where they remain to this day.
Stop closest to Charles Bridge public transport on the left bank of the Vltava - Malostranská. You can get there by trams No. 1, 8, 12, 18, 20 and 22, as well as by metro (line A). On the right bank next to the landmark there is the Staroměstská stop, which can be reached by trams No. 17, 18 and by metro (line A).
