Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic

The Charles Bridge is a famous historic bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague. Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the beginning of the 15th century. The bridge replaced the old Judith Bridge built 1158–1172 that had been badly damaged by a flood in 1342. This new bridge was originally called the Stone Bridge (Kamenný most) or the Prague Bridge (Pražský most) but has been the 'Charles Bridge' since 1870. As the only means of crossing the river Vltava until 1841, the Charles Bridge was the most important connection between Prague Castle and the city's Old Town and adjacent areas. This 'solid-land' connection made Prague important as a trade route between Eastern and Western Europe.

The bridge is 621 metres long and nearly 10 metres wide, resting on 16 arches shielded by ice guards. It is protected by three bridge towers, two of them on the Lesser Quarter side and the third one on the Old Town side. The Old Town bridge tower is often considered to be one of the most astonishing civil gothic-style buildings in the world. The bridge is decorated by a continuous alley of 30 statues and statuaries, most of them baroque-style, originally erected around 1700 but now all replaced by replicas.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Gio DiLo (2 months ago)
So beautiful and romantic to walk there in late afternoon with the sunset! Best walk in my life! We traveled as couple in Prague and we had such nice walks on the bridge..we even did a caricature there. Splendid souvenir to take home.

Harshita Tiwari (4 months ago)
Does this place needs a review? Absolutely not. It's breathtaking, medieval marvel and well preserved. Such a wonderful place and vibe and beautiful sunset. It will be more enjoyable if you know a bit about history and statues if you don't have a guide.

Smith P (6 months ago)
It is a very lively and scenic place. On one end it has old town while on the other side you will find a city centre. The bridge is usually crowded during day time till late evening. You can find many street shipping options like souvenirs as magnets, pendants. You can also find many artists who can draw instant portraits and also the musicians.

The Travel Hacking Life (6 months ago)
Charles Bridge is one of the must-see sights in Prague. In fact, it is perhaps the most popular place in the whole city. Such is its fame that during the day it is difficult to walk across it, and it is not narrow at all! Its history, the legends surrounding it and its beautiful view over the Vltava River. Along the Charles Bridge you can see 30 Baroque statues, almost all of which depict the most revered saints of the Czech Republic, although a few refer to biblical passages. There are several ways to enjoy the Charles Bridge. The most obvious, easiest and cheapest is to walk from one side to the other. During the day, and especially in high season, it is absolutely packed with tourists, vendors and street performers, so to avoid the crowds we suggest arriving early or late in the day. Another way to enjoy it is to look for a good panoramic view at street level. There are viewpoints on both sides of the river that are perfect for taking photographs.

Venkatesh Iyer (7 months ago)
Charles bridge is an old awesome bridge to visit. We can go for Boat ride and also there is an cafe on the bank as well. Tram connectivity is good to this place. I have really enjoyed this place thrice when I have visited the the Prague. Lot of used to visit this place and enjoy the river. We can find enough of entertainment in around this place.

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The hall was once a major centre of international trade. Traveling merchants met there to discuss business and to barter. During its golden age in the 15th century, the hall was the source of a variety of exotic imports from the east – spices, silk, leather and wax – while Kraków itself exported textiles, lead, and salt from the Wieliczka Salt Mine.

Kraków was Poland's capital city and was among the largest cities in Europe already from before the time of the Renaissance. However, its decline started with the move of the capital to Warsaw in the very end of the 16th century. The city's decline was hastened by wars and politics leading to the Partitions of Poland at the end of the 18th century. By the time of the architectural restoration proposed for the cloth hall in 1870 under Austrian rule, much of the historic city center was decrepit. A change in political and economic fortunes for the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria ushered in a revival due to newly established Legislative Assembly or Sejm of the Land. The successful renovation of the Cloth Hall, based on design by Tomasz Pryliński and supervised by Mayor Mikołaj Zyblikiewicz, Sejm Marshal, was one of the most notable achievements of this period.

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The Gallery of 19th-Century Polish Art was a major cultural venue from the moment it opened on October 7, 1879. It features late Baroque, Rococo, and Classicist 18th-century portraits and battle scenes by Polish and foreign pre-Romantics.

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