Charles Bridge

Charles Bridge, stone arch bridge built between 1357 and 1402 over the Vltava River in Prague, Czech Republic. It was commissioned by King Charles IV to replace Judith Bridge (constructed 1158–72), a narrower construction that had been unable to withstand a flood in 1342. The cornerstone for the new bridge was laid in 1357. The architect was German mason Petr Parléř, who also designed St. Vitus’s Cathedral. It was the only bridge over the Vltava in Prague until 1841.

The bridge has 16 arches. Two towers—one built in the Renaissance style and dating from the 16th century, and the other late Gothic and dating from 1464—guard either end and offer good views along the bridge and over the many spires for which Prague is famous. In the mid-17th century, the bridge began its evolution from Gothic stone crossing to the avenue of Baroque statues seen today. The statue of St. John of Nepomuk, erected in 1683, remains a somber depiction of the country’s patron saint. Between the sixth and seventh pillars sits a cross that is said to mark the place where St. John was thrown into the Vltava on the orders of King Wenceslas IV of Bohemia in 1393. Eventually, all the pillars were occupied—a total of 30 statues of saints, mostly Baroque in style.

The Charles Bridge was damaged by a number of floods over the more than six centuries it has stood, with the most notable occurring in 1784 and 1890. Starting in 1965, the city undertook a gradual replacing of the statues with modern stone replicas. The originals now rest in the National Museum. As part of the bridge’s restoration, in 1965 also vehicular traffic was banned from the bridge, and it remains open to pedestrians only. Later restoration work, in 2008–10, has been criticized for ignoring the historic importance of the landmark bridge. Nonetheless, it remains a point of focus for visitors and residents of the medieval city of Prague.