Ponte Carlo
Prague
Charles Bridge is the oldest bridge in Prague. It was begun in 1357 at the wish of Charles IV and is decorated with 30 statues of saints.
After the great flood
Before this bridge there was a Romanesque stone bridge, built around 1170. In 1342 a great flood ruined it.
In 1357 Charles IV had the new bridge begun. The architect Petr Parléř led the work, which was finished in 1402.
A record-breaking bridge
The bridge is almost 516 metres long and 9.5 metres wide. For centuries it was one of the largest bridges in Europe. At both ends there are fortified towers.
The name Charles Bridge only caught on around 1870. Before that it was the Stone Bridge or the Prague Bridge.
Thirty statues
From 1683 to 1928, 30 statues and groups of saints were placed on the parapets. The most famous is the bronze statue of St John of Nepomuk. Many people touch the shiny plaque below the statue and make a wish.
Floods damaged it several times, in 1432 and in 1890, but it was always repaired.
Today the bridge is for pedestrians only. By day it is full of painters, musicians and visitors. At dawn, when there are few people, you can clearly see the statues and the Castle on the hill.
