Charles bridge has been until the middle of the 19th century the most important mean of connection between Prague Castle and the surrounding areas. Built under the kingdom of King Charles IV and finished at the beginning of the 15th century, this impressive bridge remains up today one of the most impressive sights in Prague. Guarded by three towers and 30 statues of saints and knights, Charles bridge is today a pedestrian heaven, since the heavy traffic was strongly damaging the structure of the 16 pillars that sustain the bridge's heavy load. One of the towers, the one on the Old Town end, is considered the most beautiful Gothic building in the world.
While strolling over the magnificent Charles bridge, which connects Mala Strana to Stare Mesto crossing the Vltava River, you will be in constant company of the many Saint’s statues that ornate the sides of the bridge. All those statues were erected between 1628, when the brass Crucifix and the Calvary Group where put into place, and 1938, when the group composed by the Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius statue was sculptured by Karel Dvo?ák. The first statue of a saint placed on the bridge was the one depicting Saint John of Nepomuk who is one of the saints most worshipped by the people in Prague. He was arrested and tortured till death in 1393 and his body was thrown into the Vltava River from Charles bridge; His statue, along with the crucifix, is the only brass one and is constantly smoothed by passers by that caress it as a form of silent prayer. The best piece of art on the bridge is Saint Luthgard’s statue. Will on the bridge, if you do have any kind of question or of problem don’t be shy, ask help to one of the Marshals who patrol it…
