Charles Bridge interesting facts. Charles Bridge in Prague: history, legends, how to make a wish. Where is Charles Bridge

Greetings, friends! Do you know what the most visited attraction in the Czech Republic is? Charles Bridge in Prague. The bridge, which is shrouded in legends and secrets and dates back to the seventh century, connects the whole of Prague, evenly located on the two banks of the Vltava River, into one whole, both territorially and from a historical point of view. Every tourist must take his own tour of the Charles Bridge and form his own opinion about this famous landmark.

Some people pay more attention to the Charles Bridge, while others strive to capture the overall picture and atmosphere in their memory, and make a wish, as is customary in this magical place.

This post of mine also aims to reflect the unforgettable atmosphere of the popular bridge, so it contains a little of everything:

1. Interesting facts from the history of Charles Bridge.
2. What you can see while walking across the Charles Bridge
3. Legend of the house U Obrazku Panny Marie

Charles Bridge in Prague: interesting facts

Let's start getting acquainted with the Charles Bridge with the main parameters. The length of the bridge is 520 m, its width is 9.5 m and it is supported by 16 arches.

Let me immediately note that when you walk along the legendary bridge, you will be surprised how short these half a kilometer are...

The first stone for the construction of the bridge was laid Charles IV at a magical moment in time. This happened in 1357 on the 9th day of the 7th month at 5 hours 31 minutes. And if the indicated numbers are written one after another, you will get a series of odd numbers, first ascending and then descending. In the Middle Ages, rulers showed special sensitivity to astrology and numerology, so many historical objects were assigned to some special dates. Whether you trust these predictions or not, the Charles Bridge is already standing in the seventh century, and it is not afraid of floods!

Previously, there were crossings in the same place, but they could not withstand severe floods. The Judith Bridge turned out to be the most durable - a stone bridge that served from 1172 to 1342, but it was also destroyed by unpredictable waters.

When Charles IV became the head of the Czech Republic in 1346, he was faced with the important task of building a new bridge. The case was entrusted Petru Parlerju- a young talented architect, whom Charles IV invited to the court to continue construction.

Taking into account the threat of floods, Parlerz designed powerful arches that must withstand the pressure of water of any force. Whether it’s fact or fiction, there is information that wine and eggs were added to the solution during its construction to ensure the strength of the bridge.

To reduce the pressure on the bridge supports of water flows and protect it from flood ice floes, breakwaters are installed in front of the bridge:

The history of Charles Bridge began with a different name. The king originally dedicated the bridge to St. Vitus. Later the name Prazhsky was assigned to the bridge. And in 1870, grateful descendants named this historical site after its founder, Charles IV.

By that time, a monument to the most famous king of the Czech Republic had already been erected at the Old Town Bridge Tower:

In 1848, the monument was opened in honor of the 500th anniversary of the founding of the University of Prague. Charles IV achieved so many achievements during his reign that it was probably not so easy to decide where to place the main sculpture of the king. But next to such a popular bridge, a monument to its founder was installed very conveniently.

Walk across Charles Bridge

We will begin our walk from the monument to Charles IV. Let's enter the bridge through the arch of the Old Town Gothic Tower and immediately plunge into its Brownian motion:

There is active movement here all the time. Some walk briskly in the direction of the bridge towers. Others walk across the bridge from sculpture to sculpture, others examine drawings and paintings by artists, and others rush around choosing the best angles for photographs.

A flock of pedestrians gather near the sculpture of John of Nepomuk and set out to make a wish on the Charles Bridge.

And someone stopped for a while to listen to the music of Prague. Musicians often play here and entire groups perform:

Such street concerts are practiced in many European cities. I already wrote once about where you can listen to Spanish. In Prague, classical music and folk tunes are heard more often on the streets.

At any time of the day, souvenirs, jewelry and other small products that tourists are not indifferent to are sold within the Charles Bridge:

People come to the bridge for magnificent views of Prague for a reason. They are truly impressive. There are romantic views of the Vltava, the Royal Baths and Bedřich Smetana:

Charles Bridge is so well located that you can take a leisurely stroll and see many of the sights of Prague, find out where they are on the city map, and then purposefully go to them.

The panorama of the opposite bank, dominated by:

So, without ceasing to press the camera buttons, we will gradually move towards Malostranskie:

If at this point you look down through the railing of the bridge on the right side, you will be amazed at the unusual picture - you will not see Prague like this anywhere else! Below, it turns out, there is a canal, a bridge, houses with their foundations going into the water... Venice, and that’s all! You can see the Venetian profile of Prague in detail in the article:

Now let’s move to the left side of the bridge, relative to the direction of our walk. Moreover, in this place there is a staircase leading to, and a house with a remarkable balcony:

This house is located on Kampa Island, but very close to the Charles Bridge. It is famous for its rich history and legend about the mistress of the house, who saved the icon of the Mother of God in a flood, and in return found her own salvation.

Legend of the house U Obrazku Panny Marie

In 1890, Prague was hit by such a flood, during which not only Kampa and a significant part of Lesser Town, but also part of the Old Town went under water. In a house near the Charles Bridge, the owner of the house, Anna, remained captive to the water elements. When the poor woman had already lost all hope of salvation, she noticed an icon of the Virgin Mary brought to the house by flood waters. Anna was able to get the icon out of the water and prayed incessantly in front of the image until the water began to subside.

Prague residents spent more than a year rebuilding the city damaged by floods. And in 1892, when the island of Kampa returned to its normal life, in the upper part of the house the hostess installed an icon of the savior, and in front of it a lamp.

In memory of this significant event, the house was named U Obrazku Panny Marie. For more than a century, descendants have been vigilantly protecting the marked place. The lamp was replaced by electric candles. In the warm season, the balcony of the house blooms, attracting admiring glances from passers-by. The consecrated corner makes a special impression in the evening, flickering with candle lights.

However, I heard this legend when I stood on the Charles Bridge in the evening and looked in fascination at the flickering lights in front of the icon.

Charles Bridge is attractive and amazing at any time of the day. We just took an afternoon walk. It is interesting to walk along the bridge in the evening, when the shadows of the bridge towers and sculptures in the rays of the setting sun create a bizarre picture on the pavement:

The Charles Bridge is magnificent at night, when lanterns and spotlights illuminate the bridge and create an expressive composition of the bridge and Prague Castle:

The evening and night Charles Bridge looks more spectacular from the side or from Kampa Island. But, of course, it is better to walk along it during the daytime. The 520 m long walk is almost always included in sightseeing tours of Prague. Especially if tourists want to get to know Prague. In this case, they risk running across the bridge in about 15 minutes without really seeing anything. No need to rush! Charles Bridge is one of the most significant landmarks of Prague. Look around, feel its atmosphere, and you will definitely return to this bridge.

Your euro guide Tatyana

The Charles Bridge in Prague is the absolute Czech record holder for the number of tourists per square meter! And it’s not just that this is the most beautiful pedestrian bridge in Europe, if not in the world. Charles Bridge is one of the most mystical places in Prague; it is shrouded in an aura of secrets and legends, funny traditions and terrible events that magnetically attract travelers here. In this article we will tell you the most interesting facts and stories about the Charles Bridge in Prague and give you some tips for visiting this unusual attraction.

Charles Bridge in Prague and what it is eaten with. The content of the article

Charles Bridge in Prague: a brief history

The Charles Bridge connects two historical districts of the Czech capital - the Old Town (Stare Mesto) and Lesser Town. This is one of the world's masterpieces of Gothic architecture. The architect is Petr Parler, he also built the famous Prague Cathedral of St. Vitus. The first stone for the bridge was laid by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV in 1357, on July 9 at 5:31 am. This date and time were specially chosen by astrologers: if you place these numbers one after another (put seven instead of July), you will get an ascending and then descending flow of odd numbers. Of course, Founded in a truly magical moment, the Charles Bridge is simply bound to remain standing until the end of time! Believing in this or not is a personal matter for everyone, but as you can see, the Charles Bridge in Prague still stands to this day and is not going to fall. Even the terrible flood of 1890 in Prague, when part of the Lesser Town and the Old Town went under water, could not destroy the Charles Bridge - it only damaged two of its supports. Now the bridge is no longer threatened by the elements: the water level in the Vltava River is regulated by a dam.

Charles Bridge in Prague was opened in 1380, but some structural elements, as well as the bridge towers, were built before the beginning of the 15th century.

And the sculptures of saints that decorate the Charles Bridge in Prague were installed even later - in the 17th and 18th centuries. At first the bridge was called Prague, and in 1870 it changed its name in honor of its founder Charles IV. Now Charles Bridge in Prague is exclusively pedestrian

. But it was not always so. From the moment of its opening until the beginning of the 20th century, horse-drawn carriages scurried across it; in 1905, a tram route was laid across the bridge, but it was canceled in 1908. Car traffic on the Charles Bridge was banned in the mid-60s of the 20th century.

Charles Bridge in Prague is the easiest and most beautiful way to get from the Old Town to Prague Castle.

• Bridge parameters Length:
• 520 m Width:
• 9.5 m Height:
• 13 m 16
• Number of support arches: 30
• Number of statues on the bridge: Number of people crossing the bridge per year:

12 million

Charles Bridge in Prague is the main attraction of the city. The number of tourists per square meter here is the highest in the Czech Republic.

Sculptures of Charles Bridge

The entire length of the Charles Bridge in Prague is decorated with 30 sculptures. Now there are copies on the bridge, and the originals of the statues are kept in the National Museum on Wenceslas Square.

Basically, the Charles Bridge sculptures were made in the 17th-18th centuries by the best Czech and foreign artists of that time. The oldest sculpture is the Crucifixion (1657), above which you can read the real name of God in Hebrew.

The Crucifixion sculpture is the oldest on the Charles Bridge in Prague.

And Wenceslas IV with his father Charles IV, in whose honor the Charles Bridge in Prague is named, calmly sits in a niche on the Old Town Bridge Tower. Wearing a crown, next to St. Vitus, and clearly happy with life. By the way, at one time he was the king of not only the Czech Republic, but also Germany, but was dismissed from this post with the official wording “for drunkenness.”

The most famous sculpture on the Charles Bridge in Prague is St. John of Nepomuk.

Bridge towers

As already mentioned, the Charles Bridge in Prague connects two historical districts - Stare Mesto and Lesser Town. On each bank of the Vltava, the entrance to the Charles Bridge is guarded by beautiful Gothic towers - the Old Town and Lesser Town towers, respectively. It is very easy to distinguish them from each other - at the Old Town Tower, black guys in sailor costumes sell river cruises, but at Malostranska Tower they do not.

Joke. There are other differences too.

The Old Town Bridge Tower is one of the most beautiful in all of Prague. It was built simultaneously with the Charles Bridge and opened in the same 1380. The height of the tower is 47 meters. The tower is richly decorated with images of animals and birds, coats of arms of the Czech lands and the Holy Roman Empire and, of course, sculptures of saints and kings, including St. Vitus, Charles IV and his son Wenceslas. In the photo below, father and son are in the very center of the tower, with St. Vitus between them. Like many buildings in Prague, the Old Town Tower of Charles Bridge has seen its fair share of horrors. So, at one time there was a prison here, and from 1621 to 1631 the heads of Czech nobles who were executed for rebellion against the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire were hung on it.

The Old Town Bridge Tower of Charles Bridge is also an excellent observation deck. Details are at the end of the article!

On the left bank of the Vltava, the entrance to Prague’s Charles Bridge is guarded by two Lesser Town towers connected by an arch. They are also very beautiful, but still look simpler than the Old Town.

The lower one is called the Judith Tower, its height is 29 meters. It was built in the 12th century - at that time the more ancient Judith Bridge stood on the site of the Charles Bridge. In the 16th century, the tower was rebuilt, but part of the old structure remained in place.

The second tower is called the High Bridge Tower, it was built in 1464. The height of the tower is 43.5 meters, it is very similar to the Old Town Tower and it even has special niches where sculptures should also stand. But they were never installed.

In the Middle Ages, the dungeons of these towers were also used as a prison, and heads were also hung here after execution. As far as I know, this tradition has not survived to this day. But I could be wrong.

The tourists on the Charles Bridge kindly parted to allow me to take a photo with the Lesser Town Towers in the background.

The most terrible legends of Charles Bridge

Do you think it’s just because the Charles Bridge in Prague has stood for so many centuries and will last even longer? Not so. As the legend says, the architect of the Charles Bridge made a deal with the devil himself. He promised to use magic to make the Charles Bridge incredibly strong, and in return he would receive the soul of the one who would be the first to cross the bridge. The horned one fulfilled his part of the deal, but the builders outwitted him: the first to let a rooster cross the bridge, which crowed - and the devil disappeared. It turns out that the devil acted honestly, but the architect cheated him. And who is the evil spirits after this?

Another one (or maybe the same one) The devil supposedly sits on the parapet of the bridge in cloudy weather and hands out his portraits to passers-by. How can you tell a street artist on the Charles Bridge from a devil? It’s very simple: the artist will ask for money.

Charles Bridge in Prague is a favorite place for artists, musicians and other street performers. Without an experienced guide, it is very difficult to understand which of them is the devil.

Old-timers also say that previously, under one of the bridge supports the merman liked to smoke a pipe with Prague potters and chat about life. The Czech law “On Smoking Restriction” of May 31, 2017 put an end to this tradition.

Well, of course, many believe that There are many ghosts on the Charles Bridge. Here they allegedly often hear the whispers of the ghosts of executed Czech nobles (we wrote about them above), whose heads were hung on the Old Town Bridge Tower for 10 years. Many more Prague residents are ready to swear that they saw a luminous male figure in white robes on the bridge, and this is none other than the martyr John of Nepomuk. And there is no doubt that they are not lying, because next to the Charles Bridge there are several nice pubs.

How to make a wish on the Charles Bridge

Perhaps the most famous tradition associated with the Charles Bridge is that you need to make a wish on it. But to make it come true, you will have to work a little. How to make a wish on the Charles Bridge in Prague so that it comes true? To do this, in the middle of the bridge you need to find the place where the body of John of Nepomuk was thrown into the water - here on the parapet of the bridge there is a metal sculptural composition with a cross and an image of a saint with five stars above his head. The palm of the right hand must be placed on these stars, the left hand must be placed on the feet of John of Nepomuk, and the right (necessarily the right, otherwise everything is lost!) foot must be stepped on the nail that sticks out from the pavement nearby.

You can easily find the places you need to touch: over many years they have been polished to a shine by sufferers from all over the world.

But in the age of smartphones and the simplification of everything, such instructions seem like an impossible task for tourists, especially those under fifty. What to do if you still want to make a wish on the Charles Bridge in Prague? Eureka! Especially for you, the best minds have come up with a much simpler way; you no longer need to spread across the bridge in a spider pose. Here the instructions for making a wish on the Charles Bridge look much simpler. Find the sculpture of the same John of Nepomuk (if you go from the Old Town, it is the eighth on the right), simply touch the bas-reliefs under the statue and boldly make a wish.

1. You can also easily understand where to place your hand by its characteristic shine. Usually hands are placed on images of a dog (on the left) and a woman with a child (on the right), but if things are too much to do, you can limit yourself to touching one of the bas-reliefs, as a tourist from the East kindly demonstrates to us in this photo: How to make a wish on the Charles Bridge in Prague? The easiest way: put your hand on one of the images near the statue of John of Nepomuk. It's no secret that the Charles Bridge in Prague is the most popular attraction and there is always a crowd here.

2. The most convenient time to visit the bridge is 3 a.m. from morning to lunch. The most inconvenient thing is at sunset , when the bridge is occupied from the first to the last meter by tourists, artists, musicians and junk sellers.. From here, from a height of 39 meters, there are beautiful views of Prague Castle, Lesser Town and Hradcany, the Vltava River and, of course, the Charles Bridge. The pleasure costs only 100 CZK, and you can enjoy photographs from the Old Town Tower of Charles Bridge. It costs the same amount to climb the High Malostranskaya Tower, but the view from it is less picturesque.

It is from the Old Town Tower that canonical photos of Prague are taken: Prague Castle, Lesser Town, the Vltava River, and what’s his name... Charles Bridge!

3. Be sure to go down to Kampa Island– there is a staircase leading there near the exit from Charles Bridge to Mala Strana. Even in the evenings, when there are huge crowds on the Charles Bridge, it is much more calm and cozy here. Here you can simply walk, enjoying the architecture, feed the ducks and swans, or walk under the arch of the bridge, where your steps will mystically echo from the ancient arches. The feeling is simply magical!

4. You can explore the Charles Bridge not only with the help of our guide, but also on one of the many excursions. I can recommend three interesting excursions from the website, where local guides will tell you a lot of interesting things about the Charles Bridge and other sights of Prague:

Where is the Charles Bridge on the map of Prague, how to get there + hotels

Here is where the Charles Bridge is located on the map of Prague:

You can get to the Charles Bridge both from the right bank of the Vltava (Stare Mesto) and from the left (Mala Strana). On the right bank, the nearest metro stop is Staroměstská (green line, 350 m walk to the bridge). The nearest ground transport stops are Karlovy lázně (trams no. 2, 13, 14, 17, 18, 93) and Staroměstská (the same trams plus bus no. 194). On the left bank, the nearest metro station is Malostranská (green line, 650 m walk to the bridge). The nearest ground transport stop from Mala Strana is Malostranské náměstí (trams no. 5, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 22, 23, 41, 97 and bus no. 192).

The architect of the Charles Bridge provided special niches in front of the sculptures to make it easier for tourists to take photographs.

And if you live in the Old Town or Lesser Town, you can walk to the Charles Bridge. There are many hotels and apartments within walking distance. On average they are more expensive than hotels in some other areas of Prague. But firstly, this is the very center of the city, all the most interesting things are right next door! And secondly, here you can find options with excellent value for money.

As you can see, dear readers, coming to Prague and not visiting the Charles Bridge is unforgivable! Or maybe it’s dangerous, given that Prague is a mystical and sometimes vindictive city))) We hope that our small... or rather, large, but interesting article will make your walk to this unique place even more interesting. Happy travels, we are waiting for your reviews about Charles Bridge in Prague!

There are many legends about ghosts on the Charles Bridge. For example, many have often seen either a devil or a demon on the bridge, who in cloudy weather sits on the parapet and tries to present his self-portraits with horns to some passers-by and tourists. There is one more belief. It’s as if an owl sometimes flies to the Old Town Tower and if anyone hears its cry, there will be a fire in their house... And probably everyone has already heard about the ghost of the waterman under the fourth arch of the bridge, who was friends with the potters of the old one.

The most famous and most visited landmark of Prague is undoubtedly the Charles Bridge (Karluv most). It is called Charles because the founder of this legendary bridge was King Charles IV. It was he who laid the first stone. However, this name was given to the bridge only in 1870. Before this, the bridge was called Prague Bridge.

During the construction of the bridge, which took 100 years to build, chicken egg whites were added to the cement, hence the strength of the bridge. In the entire history of the Charles Bridge, not a single flood of the Vltava River with its turbulent streams could damage any of the 16 bridge supports.

View of the Vltava from Charles Bridge.

The Charles Bridge connects the two districts of Prague, Old Town and Lesser Town. Once upon a time, fairs and knightly tournaments were held on the bridge. Now in high season, Charles Bridge is still crowded. Almost all tourist routes pass through it. This bridge has never seen anything or anyone in its lifetime. And future kings going to the coronation, and funeral processions, and horse races, and trials with executions.

View of the Vltava from the Old Town Tower.

Charles Bridge souvenirs.

Today, the bridge is home to many souvenir stalls and street performers, who give the bridge a unique charm. And the unique architecture of the bridge with thirty sculptures leaves an indelible impression in the memory. Time has not been kind to the sculptures, and therefore today there are copies installed on the bridge, and the originals of the sculptures are hidden in storage. The most famous sculpture of Charles Bridge is St. John of Nepomuk. As in all European cities, there are also several beliefs and traditions on the Charles Bridge. One of them is if you touch the sculpture of John of Nepomuk with your hand and make a wish, it will certainly come true. The sculpture of John of Nepomuk is installed on the 7th pillar to the right of the Old Town Tower. Another tradition is to count five images of kingfishers on the eastern side of the Old Town Bridge Tower. The kingfisher was a symbol of Wenceslas IV and, according to one legend, personified devotion and fidelity in love. Hint: The birds are hidden in a crown of towels. Four kingfishers are not difficult to find, but the fifth one will have to be looked for. According to legend, only a holy, pure soul can see all the kingfishers at once. You can test yourself for the purity of your soul. Most tourists cope with the task and still find birds among the coats of arms and sculptures of St. Vitus, Charles IV and Wenceslas IV.

Saint John of Nepomuk is the main statue of Charles Bridge.

At the very top of the Old Town Tower of Charles Bridge there are sculptures of the patrons of the Czech land: St. Vojtech and St. Sigismund. They also say that a kiss from a loved one on the Charles Bridge will be the key to long and strong Love. It’s a strange tradition, in my opinion, to kiss on the bridge where the heads of executed criminal nobles were once hung. In total, 12 heads were hung and they hung there for almost 10 years. To be more precise, only 11 heads hung for 10 years. One head was given to the widow of the executed man. Guides like to say that since then the spirits of those executed have lived at the top of the Old Town Tower and at night you can hear their whispers. To check this, you need to spend the night at the top of the tower. Are there anyone interested?

Once upon a time, under this arch of the Charles Bridge, the watery Vltava met with the mustard potters of Prague and smoked a pipe of tobacco with them.

The Old Town Tower has another interesting feature. The upper part of the tower is built in such a way that on the day of the summer solstice, from the tower platform one can see that the sun sets exactly in the place where St. Vitus is buried in Prague Castle. You can climb to this platform by climbing 138 steps. Not every tourist will be able to notice and read the Latin inscription on the north side of the Old Town Tower of Charles Bridge. And the inscription is: SIGNA TE SIGNA TEMERE ME TANGIS ET ANGIS. ROMA TIBI SUBITO MOTIBUS IBIT AMOR. This strange inscription is translated as follows: “Be baptized, be baptized, without knowing it, you are hurting and crushing me.” Do you notice anything special in this inscription? And the peculiarity is that the inscription is equally readable both from the beginning and from the end. This is to confuse the devil.

On the opposite side of the Charles Bridge there are two Lesser Town towers, which guard the western gate of the bridge.

Arch of the western part of Charles Bridge.

Despite all the horror stories and superstitions, Charles Bridge remains a place with a positive aura and powerful positive energy. So in 1990, the Dalai Lama came to Prague. Walking along the bridge, he noted that the bridge is surrounded by a favorable aura and walking along it is very useful. Therefore, if you happen to visit the Charles Bridge, laugh, fall in love, enjoy and just enjoy life.

At any time of the year, crowds of tourists walk around the Charles Bridge.

Charles Bridge is the most famous landmark not only in Prague, but throughout the Czech Republic. Today it is loved by tourists and adored by photographers, but in past centuries it played a huge role in the life of the Czech capital.
Over its long history, the bridge has witnessed many triumphs and downfalls, magnificent celebrations and cruel executions; it has become a battlefield several times, but has always remained a reliable support for the townspeople, no matter what passions raged around them.
Of course, such a colorful story could not pass without a trace, which is why the Charles Bridge is literally covered in numerous legends.

The bridge connects the two most important districts of old Prague - Stare Mesto and Lesser Town. In the 12th century, in its place there was an ancient Judith Bridge, named after the beautiful Queen Judith of Thuringia, wife of Vladislav II. However, a couple of centuries later, this bridge was destroyed by a flood and only one miraculously surviving tower on the Lesser Town side preserves its memory.

The new bridge over the Vltava was laid in 1357 by order of Emperor Charles IV. It was subsequently named after this monarch.

The first legends

The bridge took quite a long time to build, more than half a century, and was completed only at the very beginning of the 15th century. It was built by the famous architect, Petr Parler, who was also involved in the construction of the capital's cathedral of St. Witta.
To make the structure more resistant to the vagaries of the often overflowing Vltava, chicken egg whites were mixed into the concrete solution. This trick became the key to the high strength of the bridge, which has successfully withstood all floods for several centuries and does not need major repairs.

Charles Bridge is a majestic structure, 10 meters wide and 16 spans long. Such a grandiose construction at that time could not leave the townspeople indifferent, so mystical legends immediately began to form about the construction of the bridge. Some of them may seem funny, but there are also creepy ones.

Happy date

Legends say that Emperor Charles chose the date for laying the first stone with the active participation of astrologers. It is known that this significant event occurred in 1357, on June 9, at exactly 5.31 in the morning. This date is read the same both from left to right and from right to left: 135797531, and therefore has a special energy. In addition, it was at this time that a small parade of planets occurred - the Sun, Earth and Saturn lined up in one line.
According to astrologers, such a favorable combination of astrological “circumstances” was supposed to bring good luck and prosperity to the future structure. And it cannot be said that the sages were wrong.

Sneezing baby

A rather dark legend tells of an ill-fated builder who was tasked with creating one of the bridge's spans. The master still could not make an accurate calculation, and then one day, when he was once again poring over the drawings, the devil appeared to him. The evil one promised his help in exchange for the soul of the first person to walk along the new span after its opening. The builder agreed, but he himself decided to let the black rooster cross the bridge first, because the question that the soul should be human was not even specified.
However, the devil was also not so simple, and after finishing the work, he lured the master’s pregnant wife to the bridge, who decided to be the first to congratulate her husband. The next day the woman died, the child also did not survive...

Since then, passers-by have heard children sneezing over the Vltava more than once. They said that this ghost of an unborn baby was freezing on the bridge, and no one could help him.
Fortunately, this time people were wrong. One day, a person in a hurry to get somewhere, hearing a sneeze, automatically wished the invisible woman to be healthy. Surprisingly, the ghost immediately calmed down and never bothered anyone again.

Bridge Tower Legends

The Old Town Bridge Tower is recognized as one of the most beautiful Gothic buildings in all of Europe. It began to be built at the same time as the bridge, and the rich decor was due to the fact that the tower, in addition to its protective function, served as a kind of front gate through which ambassadors of other states entered Prague Castle.

But the tower did not always play the role of an improvised triumphal arch. More than once she became an object of intimidation. So, after the suppression of one of the Prague popular uprisings, the heads of 12 of its instigators hung in iron nets on the upper gallery of the tower for a whole decade. According to legend, their souls still live here, and at night you can even hear their quiet whispers.
In memory of these unfortunates, 12 white crosses were painted right on the pavement of Old Town Square, which can still be seen today.
The tower is open to the public, and the view from the 47-meter observation deck certainly deserves the attention of every visitor to the Czech capital. And if you visit this observation deck on June 22, then the setting sun, with its last ray, will accurately indicate the place where St. Vitus, a Christian martyr and one of the patrons of Prague, is buried.

There is another interesting belief. On the eastern wall of the Old Town Tower, among numerous coats of arms and statues, there are five images of kingfishers. Residents of Prague are confident that only a person with a pure and bright soul can find them. Many tourists enthusiastically accept the challenge, but most of them manage to find only four birds, only a few find the fifth...

Legendary statues

Initially, the Charles Bridge was devoid of any decorations. The 30 elegant statues and sculptural groups that tourists now admire appeared much later, in the 18th century. The material for all the sculptures was soft sandstone, so over time, under the influence of rain and winds, they lost their freshness and beauty. Now there are copies of them on the bridge, created from a more weather-resistant material, while the originals are kept in the National Museum of Prague.

Statue of John of Nepomuk

The most legendary statue of Charles Bridge is considered to be the statue of St. John of Nepomuk.

This saint, the patron saint of Prague, is very much loved and revered by the townspeople. His appearance here is no coincidence. After all, it was from here, from the bridge, that the holy martyr was thrown into the river. The reason for such a terrible execution was the anger of King Wenceslas IV that Jan, who was the queen’s confessor at that time, greatly respected the secret of confession and refused to confirm the monarch’s suspicions of his wife’s betrayal.
Today, on the very spot where the saint was executed, there is a small marble tablet with a cross surrounded by five stars.

The statue of John of Nepomuk is incredibly popular among guests of Prague. Thousands of people approach it every day, since, according to legend, the statue of the saint has the ability to make wishes come true. To do this, it is enough to stand in front of the statue, tell Ian about your dream, and then alternately touch the reliefs on the right and left sides of the pedestal.

bearded man

The only truly ancient sculptural image present on the bridge today is a bas-relief, popularly called the Bearded Man. Presumably, it depicts one of the ancient builders and previously occupied a place over the third span of the Judith Bridge.

When constructing a new crossing, they decided to move the miraculously preserved statue closer to the shore and decorated the stonework of the embankment with it. And so that the Bearded Man would not get bored in his new place, he was entrusted with an important mission - to monitor the water level in the river. The bas-relief was deliberately installed quite low, and now every resident of Prague knows that if the Bearded Man’s beard gets wet, he should prepare for a flood.

The evil spirits of Charles Bridge

Despite the abundance of statues of saints, the Charles Bridge also has its own evil spirits, which, by the way, feel great and are not embarrassed by anyone. So, in rainy weather, you can see a small nimble imp on the railing of the bridge. His favorite pastime is to draw his own self-portraits, and then pester passers-by in the hope of selling his art profitably.

And under the fourth span lives a real merman, whose name is Master Joseph. He is considered the most important waterman in the Czech Republic and is highly respected not only by his subordinates, but also by the townspeople. In the old days, Mr. Joseph loved to go out to people, chat and smoke a pipe with them. They say that several centuries ago he even owned a small boat station. However, in the modern world, mythological characters have a hard time, so Mr. Joseph prefers not to show himself again, but continues to do his main job - collecting the souls of all those who drowned in clay pots. And so that the waterman does not lack “containers,” local potters still bring and leave their products under the bridge. After all, you never know when another misfortune will happen and a new soul will fall into the possession of Master Joseph.

The keeper

Charles Bridge also has its own Guardian - the knight Bruncvik - a character as popular in the Czech Republic as Odysseus in Greece or Ivan Tsarevich in Russia.
The majestic statue of Bruncvik on a high pedestal is installed next to the bridge, on the very banks of the Vltava, from the Lesser Town. The stone knight holds a Magic Sword in his hands, capable of cutting off the heads of enemies without even touching them. However, according to legend, Bruncvik’s real sword is walled up somewhere in the masonry of the Charles Bridge, and it is to this relic, and not to egg whites in cement, that the bridge owes its centuries-old strength.

Residents of Prague believe that if the city is in real danger, Bruncvik will come to life again, come down from his high pedestal, swing his wonderful sword and instantly defeat all enemies. True, Prague has experienced many enemy invasions throughout its history, but Bruncvik never came to the aid of the townspeople. Apparently, the enemy was not so strong and the knight believed that the people could handle it themselves.
And even in 2002, when a catastrophic flood occurred in the Czech capital, and the water almost completely covered the Charles Bridge, the Bruncvik statue continued to proudly rise above the raging waves. He did not leave his post, and withstood the pressure of the elements with dignity, which, by the way, did not cause much damage to the bridge.

Charles Bridge is the decoration and pride of Prague. It is crowded almost at any time of the day and, perhaps, due to the abundance of tourists, it is now difficult to notice the little imp on the railing or hear the sighs of the executed rebels at the Old Town Tower. To better appreciate all the beauty, grandeur and mystical atmosphere, it is better to visit the bridge at night or early in the morning. At this time, there are significantly fewer tourists here and there is a chance that only Saint John of Nepomuk will know about your deepest desire, and then it will definitely come true.

Charles Bridge was not always Charles Bridge

Charles Bridge was not the first bridge connecting Prague Castle and the Old Town. Its predecessor was the Judith Bridge, which was almost completely destroyed by the flood of 1342. By the way, elements of one arch of this bridge are still kept in the center of Prague (in the basement of the Church of the Order of the Crusaders with the Red Star) and are included in the exhibition of the Charles Bridge Museum.

Fragment of the Judith Bridge, exposition of the Charles Bridge Museum in Prague.

The flourishing of construction and trade in the Czech Republic required the construction of a new, strong bridge. King Charles IV entrusted the development of the project to the architect Peter Parler, who had already confirmed his talent in creating the Cathedral of St. Vita. The date of the start of construction was calculated for a long time by court astrologers. As a result, they got the combination of numbers “1357-9-7-5-31”. Therefore, they decided to start construction on July 9, 1357 at 5:31 am. The bridge continued to be built until 1402. Thanks to him, Prague increased its prestige and became a significant stop on European trade routes.

People have long called the bridge “Stone” and “Prague”. It was only in 1870 that a new name was assigned to it, with the easy suggestion of the writer Josef Rudl.

View of Charles Bridge, photo positivetravel.ru

The only bridge with milk, cottage cheese, wine and eggs

A popular legend says that the Charles Bridge was so strong because eggs, wine and milk were added to the mortar connecting the stones. There were few of these products in Prague, so they were collected throughout the Czech kingdom. There are many funny legends associated with this gathering. For example, the residents of Velvar were so afraid that their eggs would break on the road that they decided to pre-boil them. And the residents of the city of Ugnosht sent not only milk, but even cheese and cottage cheese. Thus, the Charles Bridge became the only bridge in the world in the construction of which stones, eggs, milk, cheese, cottage cheese and wine were used.

Moss discovered on the Charles Bridge. www.muzeumkarlovamostu.cz

New mysteries of Charles Bridge

The Charles Bridge continues to amaze people today. For example, a new secret was recently discovered: when scuba divers explored the ninth foundation of the bridge underwater, they found a new layer between the mill stones and the gravel base. It consisted of compressed moss, which does not grow under water. The find confirmed that back in the 14th century, this moss was collected from a fir forest and specially placed between gravel and millstones. Perhaps the moss served to distribute the weight of the bridge. It could also be used as a filling mass to fill cracks or placed in a bridge for magical purposes.

Charles Bridge destroyed by flood in 1890, starapraha.cz

Destruction of Charles Bridge

The Charles Bridge remained in its original form only until 1648, when the Swedes came to Prague. The bridge was the city's line of defense, so it was partially destroyed in the battles. The next catastrophic destruction occurred in the 1890 flood. It was a terrible disaster that deeply touched the hearts of the people of Prague. The bridge was restored by craftsmen from Budapest, although many Czechs considered it outrageous that the construction was entrusted to foreigners. Their indignation was ignored, and the bridge was quickly restored. In the twentieth century (1966-75), the Charles Bridge underwent another major renovation.

Charles Bridge: interesting facts

1. Of all 30 sculptures on the Charles Bridge, only the statue of John of Nepomuk is cast in bronze, and the statue of St. Philip Benitius is made of marble. The remaining sculptures were created from stone.

Statue of St. John of Nepomuk, Charles Bridge in Prague.

2. The statue of St. John of Nepomuk (since 1683) has been on the bridge for the longest time. It is located between pillars 9 and 10. According to legend, Jan was thrown from the bridge because he appointed a new abbot against the will of King Wenceslas IV or refused to reveal the secret of his wife’s confession. At the place where the saint was thrown, they reinforced a board with a metal cross and five stars. It can be seen on the right side of the bridge at the 8th support on the railing.

3. Why is John of Nepomuk always depicted with five stars? This is also explained by legend. When he was drowned in the river, five stars appeared above the water. Their reflection helped find the body.

The place where they threw St. John of Nepomuk. Charles Bridge in Prague

4. At the end of the 19th century, a horse-drawn tram traveled across the Charles Bridge. Prague residents called it a horse-drawn horse. Horse riding was very popular in the Czech Republic. In 1883, a tram route was inaugurated in Prague, which led from the National Theater to Crusader Square and across Charles Bridge to Malostranska Square. These were the first tram tracks in the history of the Czech Republic. By the 20th century, horse trams were replaced by electric trams. In 1908, tram traffic on the Charles Bridge was finally banned due to fears that heavy trams would destroy it. Cars drove across the bridge until 1965.

Charles Bridge, horse tram. photo milujuprahu.cz

5. One of the beliefs says that if you touch any sculpture on the Charles Bridge with your hand and make a wish, it will come true. If lovers make a wish and kiss on the bridge, it will also come true.

Charles Bridge, kiss. photo Jakutsevich.ru