Charles Bridge is one of the few well-preserved medieval structures, crossing the Vltava River. Until 1870 it was called the Prague Bridge, named after King Charles IV, who ordered its construction and laid the first stone.
Initially, numerous fords near the Prague Castle were used to cross the river, and after some time a wooden bridge was built, which was destroyed in 1157 by a flood. Under the protectorate of Bishop Daniel of Prague, with the support of King Vladislav and Queen Jutta, a stone bridge was built in 1158-1172, supported by 27 arches. The crossing was strategically important, as it was the only one connecting the two banks of the city.
The bridge was decorated with sculptures and towers were built at both ends. A large ice drift and low arched spans caused the complete destruction of the bridge in February 1342. One bridge tower on the Malostranska side of the bridge and several of its arches, as well as the foundations on the river bottom, have survived to this day.
Charles IV Bridge
In July 1357, at 5.31 a.m., the Czech ruler Charles IV placed the first stone in the masonry of the new bridge. The date and time of the laying were chosen on the recommendation of astrologers and were meant to favour the strength and durability of the structure. The work was supervised by the Czech-German architect Petr Parlerzh. The construction was completed at the beginning of the 15th century under Wenceslas IV.
During the construction the previous miscalculations were taken into account - the Charles Bridge was higher, wider, located to the south relative to the previous one. In addition, the architects of the master Parlerz built the Old Town Bridge Tower.
In 1432, Prague was hit by a flood and five bridge arches were destroyed. Repairs began in the same year and were carried out until 1503. The storming of Prague by the Germans in 1611 and the fighting on the bridge destroyed several piers and sculptures, they were rebuilt. The ice storm of 1784 damaged the five piers of the bridge, they were reinforced and rebuilt.
One of the first tram routes was laid on the Prague Bridge, before the electrification in 1905 it was a conka, and after that, until 1908, it was a tramway with power supply from below.
Architectural features
The Old Town Tower, designed by Parlerz, was built in the same style as St Vitus Cathedral, with characteristic canopies. Parade processions of Czech rulers at coronations passed through its vault. It is known that in the 20s of the 17th century the severed heads of the leaders of the revolt of the estates were displayed on the tower to intimidate.
The structure is decorated with sculptures from 1400 in the Gothic style, above which are the armorial shields of the Czech lands. There are 138 steps leading to the galleries of the tower, the ceiling is a net vault. Nowadays the tower houses an observation deck and the Charles Bridge Museum.
The Malostranskie towers served as defence structures. The Low Tower - a legacy from the previous bridge, rebuilt in 1591, the High Tower - the foundation dates back to 1464, during the reign of Iriža Podebrada, the repair, finishing and modification dates back to 1648. A relief discovered in the 19th century in a bricked-up niche belongs to Czech sculpture of the Romanesque period. The two towers are connected by a 15th-century Gothic gate.
Bridge sculptures
Charles Bridge is decorated with thirty sculptures on religious themes, most of which were installed between 1683 and 1714. Religious orders, university faculties, etc. had the right to put up a statue. In total there are 30 statues, the oldest and most famous is the statue of Jan Nepomucký, the Archbishop of Prague, who was thrown into the Vltava in 1393 from Charles Bridge.
Most of the sculptures were made of sandstone, which is unstable to environmental influences, and were replaced by copies. The originals are in the National Museum and the Gorlitsa Museum in Vysehrad.
