Charles Bridge in Prague business card the Czech capital and a very atmospheric place, saturated with the spirit of antiquity. Here you can admire beautiful views cities, look at sculptures and make wishes. Since 1992, the Charles Bridge has been an object world heritage UNESCO.
History of Charles Bridge
The destruction of the Judith Bridge by a flood in 1342 became an incentive for the construction in 1357 of a more modern crossing over the Vltava. Master Otto was the first architect of the new bridge. In what exact year construction was completed is unknown, but the funeral procession carrying the remains of Charles IV in 1378 passed over the already installed bridge.
Parameters The Charles Bridge were stunning in their time and are awe-inspiring even today:
- length - 520 meters;
- width - 9.5 meters;
- height - 13 meters above the river.
Over the centuries, floods have destroyed the bridge many times. Ancient monuments miraculously survived and the building looks almost the same as six and a half centuries ago. After a catastrophic flood in 1890, extensive reconstruction was carried out.
Work was carried out in 2004-2005 to preserve the two pillars, and in 2007 the complete reconstruction of the Charles Bridge was carried out again, this should eliminate some of the adverse effects of past floods.
Building Legends
According to legend, in those distant times, figures were given great importance. Therefore, before starting the construction of the bridge, Charles IV turned to astrologers for advice. And on their recommendation, the first stone of the crossing was laid by the emperor himself on July 9, 1357 at 5.31 am. If you write the numbers in the following sequence: year, day, month and time, then you get 135797531 - a number that reads the same in both directions, or as it is also called - a "palindrome". According to legend, only thanks to the right date, the bridge stood for centuries and will stand for the same amount more.
There is another explanation for the strength of the bridge: to improve the solution, raw eggs, milk and wine were added to it, and products were collected throughout the country. Many funny fables are associated with this legend, some of them are:
- The inhabitants of one village wanted to please the emperor so much that they boiled eggs so that they would not break.
- From one small town people sent not only milk, but also cottage cheese and hard cheese. Thus they wanted to curry favor with Charles IV.
Sculptures and towers on the Charles Bridge
It is not for nothing that Charles Bridge is considered the main architectural landmark of Prague, because it is decorated with a free gallery under open sky. There are 30 sculptures on the bridge, and each of them has its own history, which is intertwined with the history of the Czech Republic. Most of the statues were created in the 17th-18th centuries by Czech sculptors: Matthias Bernard Braun, Jan Brokoff and Ferdinand Maximilian. Almost all sculptures depict Czech saints and are made of baroque stone. To date, the bridge is mostly replicas of the statues, and the originals are stored in the National Museum.
The statue of John of Nepomuk is the oldest and only bronze sculpture; it has been on the bridge since 1683. According to legend, Jan was thrown off a bridge in 1393 for not revealing his wife's confession to King Wenceslas IV.
The most famous sculptural groups:
- "The Turk who guards the Christians in captivity" is a work by Jan Brokoff from 1714.
- The Crucifix is the oldest group, brought from Dresden in 1657.
- "Virgin Mary with Child and Saint Anna" - the work of the sculptor Matej Vaclav Jakel from 1707.
The towers at both ends of the Charles Bridge were its only decorations until the middle of the 17th century. The eastern tower is located at the entrance from the bridge in Stare Mesto and is called Staromestskaya. Its construction was supervised by the architect Peter Parler from 1357 to 1380. The East Tower is the most beautiful building of the 14th century in Europe, its height is 47 meters above the level of the bridge. The Old Town Tower is decorated with the coats of arms of the Holy Roman Empire and figurines of St. Vitus, Charles IV, Wenceslas IV, St. Vojtech and Sigismund (the patrons of the Czech Republic), and pointed spiers complete the tower.
The western towers were built at the entrance from the bridge to Mala Strana and are called Lesser Town. These towers were built in different centuries: the construction of more than high tower ended in 1464 and the low tower was completed in 1591. By architectural style two western towers similar to the east tower.
The neo-Gothic staircase to the island of Kampa is part of architectural monument Charles Bridge, its construction was completed in 1844.
Making wishes near St. John of Nepomuk
There are several places on the Charles Bridge where you can make a wish. Every day, crowds of tourists gather near the statue of St. John of Nepomuk (John Nepomuk), a Czech Catholic martyr, in order to make a wish. Under the sculpture of the saint are 2 bas-reliefs:
- if you rub the bas-relief on the right, your wish will come true;
- if you guess a person and rub the bas-relief on the left, friendship with the hidden person will be strengthened.
Tourists rubbed the "magic places" on the bas-reliefs to a shine, so finding the right place is not difficult.
For a wish to come true, it must be intangible.
One more wish can be made at the very place from which St. John of Nepomuk was thrown into the river. There is a belief that when the body sank under water, 5 stars shone over the Vltava, and since that time St. John of Nepomuk has been depicted with 5 stars above his head. The bronze figurine of the martyr is located in the middle of the bridge on a pedestal; when making a wish, the fingers of the right hand must be placed on the stars, and the left hand on the feet of the saint or on the copper cross.
Charles Bridge has been a pedestrian bridge since 1974. It immediately became a favorite place for tourists, as well as a concentration of street musicians, dancers, artists, antiques and souvenir dealers. Walking along the bridge, you can meet more than one jazz band.
Where is it located and how to get there
The address: Karlův most, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic.
Charles Bridge is located in the historical center of Prague, close to popular attractions such as the Powder Tower, Prague Castle, and Klementinum. Within walking distance from the bridge there are a variety of accommodation options, ranging from inexpensive hostels to 5-star ones.
How to get there
Metro(nearest stations line "A"):
- Staroměstska (right bank of the Vltava);
- Malostranska (left bank of the Vltava).
By bus: No. 194, No. 207 - to the Stare Mesto stop.
By tram:
- to the Staroměstska stop: No. 1, No. 2, No. 17, No. 18, No. 25, No. 93;
- to stop Malostranska: No. 1, No. 2, No. 12, No. 15, No. 18, No. 20, No. 22, No. 23, No. 25, No. 97.
Distance from Wenceslas Square Charles Bridge is only 1 km away and can be reached on foot, heading first along Melantrichova street and then along Karlova street.
Charles bridge on the map of Prague
Charles Bridge in Prague is a visiting card of the Czech capital and a very atmospheric place, saturated with the spirit of antiquity. Here you can admire beautiful views of the city, look at sculptures and make wishes. Since 1992, the Charles Bridge has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History of Charles Bridge
The destruction of the Judith Bridge by a flood in 1342 became an impetus for the construction..." />
- is no exception, which can be seen by looking at the view of the city from above.
But among all these structures there is a unique one - Charles Bridge. He not only connected the banks of the river, but also took an important place in the history of the city. This bridge is completely pedestrian, although this was not always the case. Built six centuries ago, it has undergone some changes, but it has become more attractive for tourists and local residents. As a rule, there are a lot of passers-by, regardless of the time of year and day. I first visited this bridge on Christmas Eve, when most of the people went to their homes and restaurants to celebrate. It was deserted, very snowy, which gave the impression that I was straight into a fairy tale.
A bit of history
The bridge was conceived by Charles IV, it was supposed to connect the Prague Castle and the Old Town area. In its place, there used to be another, the Yuditin Bridge, destroyed by the flood. The dates for the beginning of the construction of the date were chosen by astrologers. In those centuries, numbers were of great magical significance, and the bridge, built according to all the rules, was considered to stand forever. It was opened in 1402 and has been subject to some changes until now: until 1908, a horse-drawn railway ran along it, then a tram ran there for a short time. Sculptures also did not appear immediately, only in the 17-18 centuries.
How to get there
You can get to the bridge from two sides, through any of the towers. From the west, you can get to the stop "Malostranské náměstí" by bus or tram, as well as to the metro station "Malostranská" on the green line. It is difficult to say which way will get there faster. On the one hand, the distance from the metro to the bridge is greater than from the bus or tram stop. On the other hand, the subway goes straight and at a higher speed.
From the east side, you can also take the metro to the station "Staroměstská" - this is the next (or previous, depending on which side you are coming from) after "Malostra". You can also get by tram to the stop "Karlovy lázně", "Národní divadlo" or "Staroměstská".
From each stop to the bridge itself, you need to walk, but it will take no more than 10 minutes.
What to watch
Noteworthy is the architecture of the Charles Bridge and the towers framing it: take a close look at the sculptural compositions - some of them are simply unique. In addition, there are always a lot of counters with souvenirs: magnets, badges, earrings or handmade beads. Local artists are also located here, who in a couple of tens of minutes will draw your portrait in various styles (airbrush, charcoal, watercolor), and also sell ready-made landscapes or other paintings.
There are also musicians who perform not only their own compositions, but also songs known to you in an unusual arrangement. You can walk on this bridge all day and constantly find something new. Somehow I got from its western part to the eastern one in 3 hours: I managed to listen to two string quartets. The guys played so exciting and contagious that passers-by started dancing.
It turns out some kind of endless performance in the open air.
In addition to street performers, you can also meet local beggars: they stand in a characteristic pose, leaning on their knees and elbows, begging. The place is profitable, as among the visitors there are many people who give them change. Perhaps tourists see this as a kind of secret ritual that allows them to join the local rules and customs?
Towers of Charles Bridge
On both sides, the bridge is fortified with towers: Staromestskaya and Lesser Town. The first is located in the east and is a passage to the Old Place, in connection with which it received its name. The second is located on the western side and serves as a gate to the area of the city, called the "Small Country". What can be said about these structures?
old town tower
It is a classic example of medieval European architecture.
Its facade is decorated with sculptures, which indicates that it was built not only as a fortification, but also functioned as a "triumphal arch": the king's path often ran through this bridge. The facade is decorated with coats of arms of the cities of the Czech crown, and above are the key figures in the history of the country: St. Vitus sits on the throne, King Charles IV to his left, Wenceslas IV to his right.
In the basement of the tower there used to be a prison, which has now become part of the exposition: you can go down and see what conditions the prisoners were in here. And on the upper tier there was a debtor's prison for people from the noble and rich classes. Now here is one of the most beautiful viewing platforms Prague, from which you can see the river and Prague Castle.
It is open from 10 am to 6 pm from November to February, 8 pm from March to October and 10 pm from April to September. An adult ticket will cost you 90 CZK, while students and children can get in for 65 CZK upon presentation of the relevant document. There are 136 steps to climb to the top, but the magnificent view that opens up to visitors (especially at sunset) is worth it.
Lesser Town Towers
Settled on the other side of the bridge.
They have an individual design, as they were built in different time, which in no way spoils their appearance. Rather, it adds zest. The small tower (the one on the left) was built in the 12th century. It was used as a fortification in front of the passage to the Prague Castle, and later was a prison for especially dangerous prisoners. The tall one, also known as the right tower, was built only in the middle of the 15th century. In its place there used to be another, similar to a small one. This building is decorated only with niches on the facade. The gates located between the towers are two walls with arched openings, which were once closed with oak doors and iron bars. As decorations, there are teeth along the upper edge, and coats of arms hang below.
There is also observation platform on a high tower, from which you can clearly see the Prague Castle, the Church of St. Nicholas, Petřín Hill, the TV Tower and much more. You can climb it by 146 steps.
Almost immediately behind the towers there are cafes and restaurants where you can have a bite to eat after an exciting pastime. Looking into a couple of establishments right at the high tower, I was very surprised: in a city where bars and pubs are considered the cheapest in Europe, prices bite. The restaurants "U modré boty", "Casanova" and summer cafes under umbrellas. I really wanted to eat, and I found a way out: for this it was necessary to cross the street and look into a fast food restaurant. To be honest, I don’t remember its name, but standing with your back to the Charles Bridge and the Small Tower, you will find it on your left hand. Burgers, local sausage, a kind of shawarma, beer and soda - everything you need to satisfy your hunger. From the recommendations: I suggest everyone at least once taste the local sausage sold in such establishments and street pavilions. Personally, I ate all six or eight kinds and was completely delighted.
sculptures
During the Baroque era, Charles Bridge was decorated with unique sculptures. There are 30 such groups in total (if we count the statue behind the fences, then 31), most of which were installed in the late 17th - early 18th centuries. It is noteworthy that in order to preserve most of the sculptures, they were transferred to the branch of the National Museum, and now their exact copies are located on the bridge. If you walk along the Charles Bridge from the Old Town Tower to Malostranska, on your right hand you will see:
1. A copy of St. Bernard of Clair with the Madonna.
2. A copy of the sculptural group depicting Saint Thomas Aquinas and Saint Dominic at the feet of the Madonna.
3. Crucifix made of bronze. On the sculpture there is a tablet in Hebrew with laudatory words addressed to Christ.
4. St. Anne with her daughter (who later became the Virgin Mary).
5. Saints Methodius and Cyril, who read a sermon to the pagans. It is noteworthy that this sculpture was designed and supplied at the expense of the Ministry of Education.
6. St. John the Baptist.
7. Saints Norbert, Wenceslas and Sigismund.
8. St. John of Nepomuk - the personal clergyman of the queen and the priest. By historical reference he was thrown into the river because he refused to reveal the secret of the queen's confession to her husband (emperor). He is the executor of the desires of tourists and the patron of the drowning. Don't forget to touch it and make a wish when passing by.
9. St. Anthony with baby Jesus.
10. Apostle Jude Thaddeus.
11. A copy of the statue of Blessed Augustine.
12. Saint Keatin.
13. St. Philip Benicius.
14. St. Vitus with his tame lions.
15. Healers of St. Cosmas and Diamin. Delivered on the initiative of the Medical Faculty of Charles University.
In the same direction, but on the left hand, you can consider:
1. Saints Themis and Iva, who fell to judge the dispute between the son and mother. As many may have noticed, some of the statues on the bridge were installed at the initiative of the universities. And you probably already guessed that this sculpture is in the department of the Faculty of Law of the University of Prague.
2. Saints Elizabeth, Margaret, Barbara. At their feet is a dragon, whose head Margarita cut off.
3. A group depicting the mourning of Christ by John the Theologian and Mary Magdalene.
4. St. Joseph with baby Jesus.
5. Copy sculptural composition, depicting St. Francis and the people baptized by him.
6. St. Christopher carrying baby Jesus across the river.
7. Saint Francis Borgia.
8. A copy of the statue of St. Ludmila, who teaches her grandson to read; later he became Saint Wenceslas.
9. St. Francis of Assisi.
10. A group depicting St. Prokop of Sazava with angels, as well as St. Vincent Ferrer and the peoples baptized by him.
11. A copy of the statue of St. Nicholas of Talentinsky.
12. A copy of the sculpture depicting St. Luitgar, leading a conversation with Christ.
13. A copy of the sculpture of St. Vojtech.
14., Saint Felix of Valois, Saint John of Mata. The sculptural group is located on a pedestal, inside of which there is a dungeon, symbolizing Christians in captivity.
15. Statue of St. Wenceslas.
Between 10 and 11 sculptures there is a statue of the Knight of Brunswick with a tame lion. This sculpture is the only one not located on the bridge, but placed behind its fences on a support.
Staircase to Campo
On the side of the Lesser Town Towers is the island of Kampa, rich in architectural and sculptural curiosities. It is separated from the shore by a small ridge of Devil's. You can get to Kampa from the mainland or directly from the Charles Bridge along the monumental neo-Gothic staircase located on the left side, if you have almost reached the Old Town Tower to Lesser Town.
Legends of Charles Bridge
Like any historical building, this object has collected many legends about itself:
- Sometimes an owl flew to the Old Town Tower, which, with its sad cry, foreshadowed a fire or a flood. The locals even tried to shoot the bird, but it invariably returned.
- During the construction period, wanting to improve the quality of the solution, Karl ordered eggs from all over the country to be delivered to Prague. But the peasants of one of the villages, in order to please the emperor, boiled these eggs and sent them to the court like that.
- There is also a legend about the knight Brunsvik: it is similar to the Odyssey, the only difference is that he killed his wife’s suitors not with arrows, but with a sword.
- Under the fourth arch of the bridge, the ghost of a waterman once lived and was friends with the potter of old Prague.
- On the eastern side of the bridge, only a pure holy soul can count five images of kingfishers. But most tourists manage. In order not to make it easier for those who are interested, I can hint: it’s better to look at the statues.
- And if you make a wish on the Charles Bridge and touch one of the sculptures, then it will definitely come true. Wishes come true for lovers who kissed on the bridge.
There are other legends, more precisely, there are countless of them. Which of them to believe in, and which one to treat with doubt and skepticism - it's up to you. But you must admit that all these stories give the Charles Bridge a special mystery and uniqueness.
I would like to advise you to give this place at least a day, and preferably two. Choose clear, warm weather to catch as many interesting things as possible: unusual artists, musicians, or even an organ grinder.
In Prague, all roads lead to the Charles Bridge. No matter how a tourist wanders around the old town, he will inevitably end up on the banks of the Vltava near the most famous landmark of the Czech capital. You can admire the bridge both during the day and in the evening - it is beautiful in any weather.
At this place, as history testifies, bridges were built in the 12th century. In 1172, the Judith Bridge was built. It received its name in honor of Queen Jutta of Thuringia, the wife of Vladislav II, but in 1342 the flood washed away this structure. The Roman Emperor and King of the Czech Republic Charles IV, according to legend, was a superstitious man. He calculated the date of laying the bridge together with astrologers. As a result, a date was chosen that read equally on both sides. The foundation stone of the bridge was laid in 1357 on the ninth day of the seventh month at five thirty-one minutes - 135797531. Such a palindrome turned out. The architect was Petr Parler, he was then 22 years old. And he lived to see the commissioning of his offspring, although the bridge was built for 50 years.
For several centuries, the bridge that connects the historical districts of Mala Strana and Stare Mesto was called Prague. It received its current name in 1870. The building is 520 meters long and 9.5 meters wide.
The main decoration of the bridge, sculptures, began to be installed from 1683 to 1714. Basically, on the bridge are the works of sculptors Matthias B. Braun, Jan Brokofom and his sons. There are 30 monuments on the Charles Bridge: however, today there are copies here, at the beginning of the 20th century the originals were transferred to the Prague Museum.
I must say that it is not so easy to look at the sculptures on the Charles Bridge, tourists are never transferred there. In addition, sellers of paintings and souvenirs, as well as musicians, are still located on the not so wide pedestrian part.
And, nevertheless, it is necessary to devote at least a couple of minutes to each sculpture. So, let's walk along the right and left sides of the bridge. If you are walking from the old town towards the Prague Castle, then the first sculpture on the right will be Madonna with Saint Bernard (1709). The sculptor combined in one composition the Virgin Mary and Bernard of Clairvaux, the founder of the Cistercian order, whose monks supported the cult of the Virgin.
Madonna with Saint Dominic and Saint Thomas Aquinas (1708)
Baroque sculpture depicting the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus hovering above the globe, and thereby symbolizes how widespread Catholicism is. The Madonna passes the rosary to Saint Dominic, Thomas Aquinas has a Bible in his hand.
crucifixion of christ
This sculpture was erected on the bridge for half a century - from 1657 to 1707. In the center is Jesus crucified on the cross, on the left is the Virgin Mary, on the right is John the Evangelist. The cross has an inscription in gold. According to legend, the letters are made of gold, the money for them was seized in the form of a fine from a Jew.
Saint Anna (1707)
Statue of Saint Anna, mother of the Virgin. The current copy was made by Czech sculptors Vojtech Adamec and Martin Pokorny and installed on the bridge in 1999.
Cyril and Methodius (1928-1938)
This is the only sculpture for which the state has forked out, and it is the “youngest” on the bridge. The statue was commissioned by Karl Dvořek in 1928 for the anniversary of the Republic. Previously, there was a sculpture of St. Ignatius of Loyla on this site, but it was washed away by a flood in 1890.
John the Baptist (1855)
The sculpture of John the Baptist was created by master Josef Max. This place was previously occupied by a statue of the same saint Michal Jan Josef Brokoff. It has already fallen into disrepair and is now in the museum. The cross behind the statue marks the place from where John of Nepomuk was thrown into the Vltava. Queues line up for him: according to legend, here everyone can turn to this saint for help. And, according to the people of Prague, Jan Nepomuk will certainly help.
Norbert, Sigismund and Wenceslas (1853)
In the first version, created by Jan Brokoff in 1708, Saint Norbert was depicted together with Saints Andrian and James. In 1764, the decaying figures were replaced by a work by Platzer, where angels stood next to Norbert.
Saint John of Nepomuk (1683)
According to legend, John of Nepomuk refused to reveal the secret of his wife's confession to the king, and for this disobedience he was thrown from the bridge into the river. There are bronze images on the pedestal of the sculpture, which are rubbed hard by tourists, making wishes.
Anthony of Padua (1707)
The statue of St. Anthony of Padua is one of the first works of Jan Mayer. The sponsor was the Burgrave of Prague K.M. Wittauer.
Judas Thaddeus with a club (1708)
Saint Jude Thaddeus is one of the original twelve apostles.
Blessed Augustine trampling heretical books ( 1678)
The sculpture of Blessed Augustine was sculpted by John Frederick Kohl.
Kajetan (1709)
The master's work is dedicated to Saint Cajetan - the defender from the plague. The obelisk, shrouded in clouds of stone, resembles the Plague Pillars, which are very common in Prague and in the Czech Republic in general.
Philip Benicius (1714)
The only light sculpture of the Charles Bridge. Philip Benicius was the founder of the Servite order. For the manufacture of the statue, white Austrian marble was used: it was sculpted in Austria, and then brought to Prague.
Sculpture of Saint Vitus (1714)
Saint Vitus is surrounded by lions who protect their captive.
Saints Cosmas, Damian and Jesus Christ (1709)
The sculptural group was installed at the expense of the Medical Faculty of Charles University.
Saint Ivo in the company of Themis (1711)
The composition depicts a trial at which Saint Ivo, together with Themis, resolves a dispute between his son and mother.
Barbara, Margarita and Elizabeth (1707)
Saint Barbara is the patroness of miners and miners, people associated with mining; Saint Elizabeth - the protector of the sick and the poor, the patroness of bakers; Saint Margaret was considered an assistant in childbirth and patronized the harvest.
Pieta (1859)
The Descent from the Cross is one of the most famous sculptures of the Charles Bridge. Initially, there was a wooden crucifix in this place, and even earlier, according to legend, bakers and artisans were executed - they were chained in cages and lowered into the water. In 1496, a flood destroyed part of the bridge and washed away the crucifix. The first Pieta was made in 1695 by Jan Brokoff. Modern Pieta Emanuel Max created in 1858 with money collected as donations and with funds from the city treasury.
Saint Joseph and little Jesus (1854)
The sculpture depicts the righteous Joseph the Betrothed, who supports the little Jesus Christ, who blesses the city.
Francis Xavier (1711)
The very first statue of Francis Xavier was washed off the bridge by a flood in 1890. The sculpture symbolizes the conversion of Asian peoples to Christianity. It is believed that the sculptor Brokoff sculpted himself in the figure of a man standing next to the saint.
Christopher with baby Jesus on his shoulders (1857)
There used to be a guard post on this site, but it was washed away by a flood in 1784. At the same time, five guards in it died, and the booth was not returned to its original place. In its place, a statue of St. Christopher was erected, with Jesus on his shoulders. Saint Christopher is considered the patron saint of sailors, travelers and wanderers.
Francisco Borgia (1710)
Saint Francisco Borgia is depicted between two angels dressed as a priest. The angels are holding holy images in their hands, the first is the image of the Mother of God, the second is the image of the Holy Gifts.
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Saint Ludmila with little Wenceslas (1720)
Saint Ludmila is a Czech princess, she has a little grandson Wenceslas in her arms.
Francis of Assisi (1855)
The sculptural group of three figures headed by Francis of Assisi was installed at the expense of the President of the Royal Scientific Society of the Czech Republic, Count Franz Kolowrat-Libstein.
Saints Vincent Ferrer and Procopius of Sasau (1712)
Saints Vincent Ferrer and Procopius of Sazava cast the demons to the ground and trample them underfoot. The bas-relief on the pedestal depicts a Turk, a Jew and a devil, who are also under the heel of the saints.
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Bruncvik (1884)
According to legend, the Praguer Bruncvik went on a journey to find a lion for his coat of arms. He not only saved the lion's life, but also acquired a magic sword with which he fought enemies. According to legend, the sword was immured in the base of the Charles Bridge. It is believed that Bruncvik will definitely come to the rescue and protect the Czech people from the enemy. The statue does not stand on the bridge, but on a separate support on the south side of the structure. The Russian poetess Marina Tsvetaeva dedicated the lines to Bruncvik: “I have a friend in Prague, a stone knight ... He stands on the bridge and guards the river ... He is about five hundred years old and he is very young: a stone boy.”
Nikolai Tolentinsky (1708)
Since 1708, St. Nicholas of Tolentinsky has been protecting the Charles Bridge from the rampage of the “wild river” of the Vltava. An angel holds a bowl with bread that can heal the sick and save from misfortunes. In 1969, the statue was replaced with a copy.
Vision of Saint Luitgarda (1710)
The sculpture tells the legend of the dying vision of the nun Luitgarda. In a dream, Jesus Christ appeared to her, crucified on the cross. He bent over the blind nun so that she could heal his wounds with her kiss. The original was replaced with a copy in 1995.
Adalbert of Prague (1709)
Praguers several times expelled Adalbert, who demanded too strict observance of church canons. Calling for mercy, preaching humility, he was brutally murdered. According to legend, at the moment of death, the ropes that bound him were untied, and the body took the form of a cross and radiance emanated from it. To redeem the body, it was decided to pay in gold for its weight. But it turned out to be weightless, and was transferred without ransom. So the saint returned to his native city.
Saint John de Mata, Saint Felix de Valois and John of Bohemia (1714)
The most popular sculptural group of the Charles Bridge. It depicts the hermit John of Bohemia, accompanied by the French saints John de Mata and Felix de Valois, who in 1199 founded the monastic order of the Trinitarian to ransom captive Christians from the Gentiles. The pedestal is a cave where captive Christians beg for mercy. They are guarded by a Turk and a dog.
Saint Wenceslas (1859)
Wenceslas I is the most revered prince of the Czechs.
Again, all the roads of the old town lead to the Charles Bridge. But you can also get there by public transport. Near the Charles Bridge there are three tram stops: Karlovy lázně and Staroměstská - routes No. 2, 17, 18, 93. (Stare Mesto, right bank); Malostranské náměstí - routes No. 1, 12, 15, 20, 22, 25, 97. (Mala Strana, left bank).
There are metro stations not far from the bridge: Staroměstská (line A) on one side of the river, and Malostranská (line A) on the other side.
The Lesser Town and Old Town bridge towers were the only decoration of the Charles Bridge until sculptures began to be installed on it in the 17th century. There are 30 statues and sculptural groups of saints on the railing of the bridge, and the statue of the knight Bruncvik is not on the railing of the bridge, but on its support.
Basically, the sculptures were created in the period from 1683 to 1714 during the reign of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty, which, relying on Catholicism, tried to subjugate the Czech people and suppress the Hussite protest moods that were dangerous for it. Therefore, the sculptures are united by one common idea - the glorification of the Catholic faith. They were sculpted by several eminent masters and the Charles Bridge turned out to be a place of competition between the two main sculptural concepts of that time: the sculptures of the Brokoffs express Power, and the creations of Matthias Braun - Grace.
28 statues out of 31 were made of soft and short-lived sandstone, therefore, in order to protect them from damage and destruction, they are replaced with copies, and the originals are placed in storage in the Lapidarium of the National Museum in Prague's Holesovice district.
Saint Anthony of Padua, heavenly helper in finding lost things, patron of the poor and travelers, is depicted in the cassock of the Franciscan order with a metal lily in one hand and the Infant Jesus in the other.
Saint Jude Thaddeus, one of the original 12 apostles (1708, Jan Mayer).
In the Middle Ages, the Apostle Jude was considered the son of Joseph the Carpenter from his first marriage and, therefore, the half-brother of Jesus Christ himself. Modern biblical scholars consider the Apostle Judas Thaddeus and Judas, "the brother of the Lord", to be different persons.
In the Gospel of John, Judas Thaddeus at the Last Supper asks Jesus a question about his coming resurrection, while he is called "Judas, not Iscariot" to distinguish him from Judas the traitor. Since St. Jude Thaddeus was often confused with Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Christ, his veneration was never particularly widespread. For this reason, Judas Thaddeus is considered in the Catholic tradition as the patron of people who find themselves in a difficult and hopeless situation, undeservedly forgotten and out of favor, suffering from general misunderstanding.
The apostle is known for his preaching activity in Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Persia and in Armenia, where in the second half of the 1st century he was martyred at the hands of pagans - he was beaten with clubs. Therefore, Saint Jude Thaddeus is depicted on the sculpture leaning on a club with the Gospel in his hand.
St. Augustine the Blessed, Christian theologian and philosopher, scholar and preacher, one of the Church Fathers and founder of Augustinism (1708, Jerome Col, copy). He was one of only two eminent theologians to receive the epithet Blessed, a person whom the Western Church considers saved and in heaven.
Augustine was born in 354 in North Africa, near Carthage, where he spent most of his life. As a bishop, he preached a lot, fought against religious heresy, wrote a large number of spiritual books, and his kindness to ordinary people was legendary. Therefore, the mendicant monastic order, created in the 13th century according to the rule of St. Augustine and repeating the lifestyle of the Holy Apostles, bears the name of this saint - the Augustinian Order.
On the Charles Bridge sculpture, Saint Augustine the Blessed is depicted in episcopal robes with a flaming heart in his hand, stepping on heretical books with his right foot.
Saint Cajetan, founder of the Order of Theatines, protector of people from the plague (1709, Ferdinand Brokoff).
Cajetan of Tien was born in Italian city Vicenza in 1480 and, with a doctorate in law, was the secretary of one of the most militant popes, Julius II. Having taken the priesthood, in 1524 he founded the male order of Theatines. This is the first order of a new type, upon entering which the priests took the traditional monastic vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, but did not leave the world, but continued to perform the duties of parish priests. The main goal of the order was spiritual and religious education. ordinary people as well as helping the poor and those suffering from plague.
The sculptural composition on Charles Bridge symbolizes the Holy Trinity. The three-sided obelisk, shrouded in clouds of stone, is located behind St. Cajetan and is very similar to the plague column, which, according to Catholic traditions, was erected in gratitude to heavenly patrons for the expulsion of the plague. Small angels circle above the obelisk and hold a massive, fiery heart. In the hands of St. Cajetan is an open Gospel.
The only white marble sculpture of the Charles Bridge is Saint Philip Benicius, founder and general of the Servite Order (1714, Michal Mandl).
Philip Benicius was one of 7 young men from noble Florentine families who were in brotherhood for joint prayers and spiritual exercises. On the feast of the Assumption in 1233, they decided to create a new order of "servants of the Virgin Mary", which would become a spiritual example for the inhabitants of Florence, which at that time was mired in internecine strife. The Servite Order is the only one of the Catholic orders that is founded by a group at once, and not by one or two people.
Philip Benicius, becoming general of the order in 1267, did much to strengthen, spread and preserve the order, making numerous missionary trips throughout Europe from Spain to Poland. Legend has it that after the death of one of the popes, Philip Benicius was considered the most suitable candidate for the position of pontiff. But being a very modest person and believing himself unworthy of such a high mission, he hid in a cave until another pope was elected. The inscription on the pedestal of the sculpture confirms this legend: "The fifth general of the order of Servites, Saint Philip Benicius, is loved by God for his modesty."
On the sculpture, St. Philip is dressed in white clothes traditional for the order of Servites, in his left hand he holds a branch of a lily, a cross and a book, and a tiara is placed at his feet, symbolizing the rejected title of the pope.
Saint Vitus, early Christian Roman martyr, patron of the Czech lands, after whom the cathedral in Prague Castle is named (1714, Ferdinand Brokoff).
As the son of a pagan Roman senator from Sicily, the boy converted to Christianity under the influence of his mentor, who was killed in front of Vitus for confessing Christ. But this event only strengthened the faith of the future saint and the desire to convert fellow citizens to the mercy and love of Christ. Legend has it that Vit, who expelled demons from the soul of Emperor Diocletian, refused to pray to the Roman gods, for which he was put in a cage with ferocious lions. But the animals did not touch Vit and then in 303 he was thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil.
IN medieval Europe there was a belief that one could gain health by dancing in front of the statue of St. Vitus on his name day on June 15th. Since that time, the righteous man has been considered the patron saint of dancers and the guardian from the disease, called the "dance of St. Vitus."
On the sculpture, St. Vitus in the clothes of a Roman citizen and a medieval headdress stands on a pedestal in the form of a rock with a cave on which lions are located, depicted not as ferocious and bloodthirsty predators, but feeling sympathy for their captive and, as it were, protecting him. One of the lions is lighter than the others, because it was restored using experimental laser technology, which was later decided not to be used.
The last sculpture on the north side of the Charles Bridge is the Savior and Saints Cosmas and Damian, healers, healers and miracle workers, patrons of doctors and surgeons (1709, Jan Mayer).
The brothers Cosmas and Damian lived and healed in the second half of the 3rd century on the territory of modern Turkey and Syria. One of the most famous deeds of the saints is the operation to replace an amputated ulcerative leg with the leg of a recently deceased Moor. They did not accept any payment for their services, for which they were called unmercenaries, and, being Christians, converted many to faith in Christ. During the persecution of Christians under the Roman emperor Diocletian, the brothers were captured for preaching and spreading this religion, tortured and eventually beheaded.
The composition of the sculpture is built in such a way that the brothers stand on both sides of the Savior. Each of the figures is located on a separate pedestal, and at first it may seem that the sculpture does not look like a single whole and that each statue is individual. Cosmas and Damian are twin brothers, so it is not known how it was established that Cosmas is on the right of the Savior, and Damian is the one on the left. They are dressed in university robes, holding martyr branches and medical mortars with the inscriptions: "This is the medicine of life" and "This is how the art of healing was born." In the center is the Savior, he leans on a cross, the inscription on which reads the following: "In this cross is our salvation."
Now, if you go in the opposite direction, from the Lesser Town Bridge Towers to the Old Town Bridge Tower, then on the south side of the Charles Bridge, his sculptures are located in the following order: St. Wenceslas, the prince and patron of the Czech land, who did a lot to spread Christianity in the Czech Republic (1858, Joseph Böhm).
Wenceslas was raised in the Christian faith by his grandmother St. Ludmila. He became a Czech prince in 924 and the period of his reign was a time of significant prosperity for the Czech state, and he himself is mentioned as a zealous Christian who freed prisoners, gave alms to the poor and comforted the sick, contributed to the liturgy being held in the Czech Republic, both in Slavonic and and in Latin. He was killed by his brother, brought up in pagan traditions.
Saint Wenceslas stands leaning on his left leg, his right leg is bent at the knee and slightly laid aside. A shield depicting a coat of arms with an eagle emblem hangs on his left hand, and with the same hand he seems to “embrace” the banner. Wenceslas is dressed in princely clothes, his head is crowned with a crown. The prince's neck is stretched out, his chin is turned slightly upward, his eyes are closed, his hands are folded in front of him: he is performing a prayer, pressing his palms tightly to each other. The pose emphasizes his commitment to Christianity.
The sculpture was ordered by the Prague Society of the Blind, as evidenced by the inscription on the pedestal: “In memory of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Society of the Blind, held in Prague on October 4, 1857.”
Sculptural group of Saints John de Mata, Felix de Valois and John of Bohemia, often called the Turk of Prague (1714, Ferdinand Brokoff).
The French theologian John (Jean) de Mata and the hermit Felix de Valois founded in 1198 a Catholic mendicant monastic order of Trinitarians to ransom captive Christians from Muslim captivity. The monks obtained funds for the ransom by collecting alms, but there were often cases when the Trinitarians gave themselves into slavery for the release of captives. It has been reliably established that over 437 years the Order of the Trinitarian (Holy Trinity) ransomed 30,732 slaves from Muslim captivity, and among them the author of the novel The Cunning Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes.
St. John of Bohemia, or, as he is also called, Ivan under the Rock was the first hermit not only of the Czech land, but of the entire Slavic world, who lived in a dense forest at the foot of a mountain near modern Prague in the 9th century.
The sculptural composition depicts a rock with a cave in which three captive Christians languish behind bars and ask for mercy, guarded by a dog and a Turk, personifying Muslims. A cartouche depicting an angel above the cave is held by St. Felix de Valois with one hand, offering the other hand to the released prisoner. Above the Turk stands St. John de Mata with symbolic shackles, next to him is a sacred deer with a cross between its horns. Sitting on the top of a rock, the first Slavic hermit John of Bohemia looks at what is happening with a golden cross in his hands.
Saint Vojtech, second bishop of Prague, patron of the Czech Republic, better known in Europe under the name Adalbert of Prague (1709, Michael Brokoff, copy).
Vojtech was born sickly in 955, and his parents from the powerful Czech princely family of Slavniković, in an effort to heal the baby, placed him on the altar of the Virgin Mary. A miracle of healing happened, and in gratitude for the salvation of Voitekh, he was appointed to the service of the Church and the Holy See of Rome. When Voitekh studied at a monastery school, his spiritual mentor was Adalbert of Magdeburg, who gave Voitekh the name of his heavenly patron during chrismation. In 982, against his will, Vojtech was elected bishop of Prague. He lived in voluntary poverty, actively fought against pagan beliefs, which were still strong in the Czech Republic, throughout the country he created male monasteries and monastic orders, distinguished by zealous service to the church. Praguers several times expelled their bishop from the city, who demanded too strict observance of church canons. After another exile, Vojtech preached Christianity not far from present-day Kaliningrad, where he met his death at the hands of the Prussian pagans. After his death, his remains were redeemed by the Czech prince Boleslav the Brave, and the weight of the paid gold was equal to the weight of the relics of the great martyr, which are now in cathedral St. Vitus in Prague Castle.
On the sculpture, St. Vojtech is depicted in the vestments of an archbishop with the Gospel in his left hand.
The original of the sculpture is kept in the "Gorlitsa" in Vysehrad.
Vision of Saint Luitgarda, nun of the Cistercian order, patroness of people with handicapped(1710, Matthias Braun, copy).
Luitgarda was born in Belgium in 1182, she was sent to a Benedictine monastery as a twelve-year-old girl, and at the age of 23 she became the abbess of the monastery. Luitgarda joined the order of the Cistercians, known for their strict orders, in 1208. In the last years of her life, the nun became blind, but did not stop meeting people, helping and healing them. The legend says that before her death, Luitgarde had a vision in which Jesus Christ came to her to inform her of her death. He bent over the blind nun so that she could heal his wounds with her kiss. After that, Luitgarda and Jesus exchanged hearts.
This vision was embodied in sculpture: Jesus himself came for Luitgarda; she brought joy to people, but her life and service on earth had already ended. Leaning over the saint, Jesus asks her about the last deed - to heal him.
Saint Nicholas of Tolentine, an Augustinian monk who treated the hopelessly ill with bread overshadowed by a cross (1708, Jerome Kol, copy).
He was born in 1245 and already in adolescence was given by his parents to the Augustinian monastery in the Italian city of Tolentino, where he spent his whole life. He became famous for his ascetic life, prophetic visions and selfless service to others. He called for peace in the city torn apart by contradictions between the Ghibellines and the Guelphs. According to the life of the saint, one day, weakened after a severe fast, he saw the Virgin Mary and St. Augustine, who ordered him to draw the sign of the cross on bread, soak it in water and eat it, which led to an immediate recovery. After that, the monk began to distribute such bread to the sick, and since then it has been the custom of the Augustinians to distribute the "bread of St. Nicholas."
On the sculptor, St. Nicholas of Tolentino is depicted in the traditional attire of an Augustinian monk with a lily in one hand and bread in the other. An angel holds a bowl with bread that can heal the sick and save from ailments.
Saints Vincent Ferrer and Prokop of Sazava, who voluntarily accepted harsh life ascetic and converted thousands of pagans, Jews and Arabs to Christianity (1712, Ferdinand Brokoff).
Vincent Ferrer was born in 1350 into a Spanish noble family and at the age of 18 entered the Dominican order. During the Great Schism, he did everything possible to preserve the peace and unity of the Church, although he initially supported the Avignon party and the antipope. Practiced severe ascetic practices, all year round observed a strict fast, slept on bare ground, moved only on foot.
Beginning in 1401, Vincent Ferrer devoted himself to missionary work among the Cathars of France, Italy and Switzerland. His sermons brought a large number of apostates back to Catholicism, and his sermon against vanity led the noble ladies of Liguria to stop wearing voluminous hairdos.
Prokop of Sasau, one of the most famous Czech national saints, was born in 970 into a family of small estates. From a young age, he studied spiritual books and, becoming a priest, went to the Benedictine monastery in Prague. Later, he preferred the life of a hermit and settled in a forest on the banks of the Sazava River, where he prayed a lot and worked: uprooted trees and cultivated the land. There were legends among the locals that the hermit Prokop plows the land on a line harnessed to a plow, driving him with a cross. Gradually, Prokop's disciples appeared, after some time a small monastic settlement arose around his cave, from which later the Sazava Monastery arose, the first rector of which was St. Prokop. The monastery was the center of Slavic culture and the last place in the Czech Republic where worship was performed in Church Slavonic.
In the sculpture, Saint Vincent Ferrer, in Dominican robes, exorcises the devil from a man kneeling before him with one hand, and with the other raises the deceased lying in the grave from the dead. Saint Prokop of Sasau, in abbot vestments, holds a rod over a tamed winged Satan. The bas-reliefs of the pedestal depict a Turk, a Jew and a devil, who are also symbolically under the heel of the saints.
Saint Francis of Assisi, Catholic monk and preacher, founder of the Franciscan mendicant order named after him (1855, Emanuel Max).
Born in 1182 in the Italian city of Assisi in the family of a wealthy silk merchant, who often traveled on business to France, in whose memory he named his son Francis. In his youth he led a wild life of a rich heir, but at the age of 24, after a series of visions, he devoted himself completely to God, began to live in extreme poverty, cared for lepers, restored destroyed chapels with his own hands, preached in Spain, Southern France, Egypt, Palestine. In 1209 he founded the Franciscan order with the aim of preaching apostolic poverty, asceticism, and love of neighbor among the people.
On the sculpture, St. Francis of Assisi is dressed in a monastic robe with a hood, stigmata are clearly visible on his palms and chest - bleeding ulcers-signs that open on the body in those places where the wounds of the crucified Jesus Christ were located. The pedestal with the statue of the saint is pushed a little forward, behind his back and on the sides are two guardian angels. One of them tightly presses a huge book - the Bible - with both hands. The pedestal of the statue is crowned with the inscription: “Saint Francis of Assisi in gratitude for miraculous salvation Emperor Franz Joseph in February 1853.
Saint Ludmila, Czech princess, first martyr and first patroness of the Czech Republic (1720, Matthias Braun, copy).
Being the daughter of a Serbian pagan prince, she became the wife of the Czech prince Borzhivoy and together with him was baptized by Methodius himself in 871. She led a strict, pious life, converted the Czech people to Christianity, and preserved Slavic worship in the country. She raised her grandson, the future Prince St. Wenceslas, in the spirit of Christianity. In 921, by order of her pagan daughter-in-law, she was strangled while praying with her own veil.
In the center of the sculptural composition rises the majestic statue of St. Ludmila, to the right of it stands young Wenceslas, wearing a crown on his head - evidence of his future stay on the throne, and to the left is a small guardian angel. In her left hand, the Great Martyr tightly compresses the veil with which she will be strangled, and with her right hand she points to the Bible, according to which she teaches Wenceslas to read. The pedestal of the sculpture is decorated with a bas-relief depicting the moment of the murder of Prince Wenceslas by his pagan brother.
The original of the sculpture is kept in the "Gorlitsa" in Vysehrad.
Previously, a sculpture of St. Wenceslas surrounded by angels stood in this place, which collapsed into the Vltava during the flood of 1784. Now it is kept in the Lapidarium of the National Museum.
Saint Francisco Borgia, one of the most successful and best generals of the Jesuit Order (1710, Ferdinand Brokoff).
He was born in 1510 in a family from a noble Catalan family Borgia, was brought up as a court cavalier at the court of his uncle, the King of Aragon. After the death of the Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, Isabella of Portugal, with whom he was an adviser, he declared that he would never again serve a mortal master, renounced all worldly titles and joined the Jesuit order. In 1565 he was elected the third general of the order and called this day the day of his crucifixion. He made a significant contribution to the development of religion, organized the proper training of novices, founded missions of the Jesuit order in Peru, Mexico and Florida.
The sculpture depicts Saint Francisco Borgia between two angels dressed as a priest. Both angels hold holy images in their hands, the first - the image of the Mother of God, the second - the Holy Gifts.
Saint Christopher, patron of wanderers, sailors and travelers (1857, Emanuel Max).
One of the legends says that Christopher was a Roman of enormous stature who converted to Christianity. The giant seeks out a holy hermit, from whom he asks for advice on how he can serve Christ. The hermit took Christopher to a dangerous ford across the river and said that the great stature and strength of the warrior would help people cross the stormy river. Once, when Christopher was sleeping, a child approached him and asked him to help him cross the river - a symbol of the transition to the other world. Christopher put him on his shoulders and entered the water. With each step, the flow became more and more turbulent, and the child became incredibly heavy. With great difficulty, Christopher reached the opposite shore and, lowering his passenger to the ground, said: “Who are you, child, who plunged me into such a test? I took the whole world on my shoulders, then even such a burden would not seem heavier! The baby answered: “Christopher, do not be surprised, for you carried on your shoulders not only the whole world, but also the one who created it. I am Jesus Christ, the King of Heaven." So Jesus called him Christopher, which means "carrying Christ."
Earlier, at the site of the sculpture, there was a sentry box, but in 1784, during a flood, this part of the Charles Bridge was destroyed and the booth was washed away. All five guards stationed there were killed. After that, traffic on the bridge was limited, but the post was not restored. It was decided to erect a sculpture depicting Saint Christopher carrying little Jesus on his shoulders through the stormy waters of the river.
Saint Francis Xavier, one of the most successful missionaries of the Catholic Church, co-founder of the Jesuit order (1711, Ferdinand Brokoff).
Born in 1506 into an aristocratic Basque family, at the age of 19 he went to study at the University of Paris, where he met Ignatius Loyola. On August 15, 1534, in the chapel of Montmartre, Francis Xavier, together with Ignatius Loyola and 5 other associates, took an oath to devote their lives to serving God. This day is considered the founding day of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit order). During his 11 years in Goa, Ceylon, Indonesia, Japan and China, he founded many churches and monasteries and converted thousands of local residents to Christianity.
On a high pedestal, which is supported by an Asian, a samurai and a Negro, St. Francis Xavier overshadows with a high crucifix an Indian prince, ready to accept Christianity. A boy with a seashell offers the saint water for baptism. To the left of Francis, a young man sits thoughtfully with a book in his hands - this is a self-portrait of the sculptor Ferdinand Brokoff.
The original sculptural composition has not survived to this day, as it was swallowed up by the waters of the Vltava during the catastrophic flood of 1890. A copy of the statue was made and installed on the Charles Bridge only 23 years later.
Saint Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary and adoptive father of Jesus Christ (1853, Joseph Max).
According to the gospel story, Joseph descended in a straight line from the family of King David, lived in the remote town of Nazareth and was in poverty. Joseph was married twice (Mary was the second wife) and from his first marriage he had six children: four sons and two daughters. About his life, except for the circumstances of the birth of Christ, almost nothing is known. By profession, he was a carpenter, so he is considered the patron saint of carpenters, joiners and lumberjacks. The King of the Czech Republic and Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III, by his decree, "appointed" him as the patron of the Czech lands.
In the sculpture, St. Joseph holds in his left hand a lily, a symbol of the Virgin Mary, denoting purity and purity. With his right hand, he supports the little Jesus Christ, blessing the city.
Lamentation of Christ, episode of the Passion of Christ (1859, Emanuel Max).
The mourning of Christ after the removal of his body from the cross is a plot in a number of apocryphal and theological writings and is absent in canonical texts. Unlike the Pieta, where the body of Jesus is on the lap of the weeping Mother of God, and there are no other characters, in the Lamentation scene, Christ usually lies on the ground, surrounded by several figures.
On the sculptural composition of the Charles Bridge over the body of the Savior, the Mother of God herself, Mary Magdalene (the repentant harlot who followed Jesus after being healed from the possession of seven demons) and John the Theologian (author of the fourth Gospel and one of Christ's favorite disciples) bowed in prayer.
Saints Barbara, Margaret and Elizabeth (1707, Ferdinand Brokoff).
Varvara of Iliopolskaya was distinguished by her special beauty and was locked up by her pagan father in a tower, from the window of which, while observing the world around her, she came to the idea that there was a single Creator. Released from the tower before her marriage, she met the Christians of Lebanon and was baptized. By order of her father, she was brutally tortured and beheaded in 306. The patroness of miners and miners.
Margaret of Antioch was the daughter of a pagan priest who expelled her from her home for converting to Christianity. The Roman prefect, fascinated by the beauty of the mendicant wanderer, offered her marriage on the condition that she renounce Christ. Margarita's refusal led to her being brutally tortured and executed in 304. The patroness of the harvest, the protector from slander and slander.
Elizabeth of Hungary was the daughter of the Hungarian king and in 1221 she became the wife of the ruler of Thuringia. Under the influence of the Franciscan monks, she helped the disadvantaged, built hospitals for the poor. Patroness of physicians and bakers.
On the sculpture, Saints Barbara and Margarita are depicted with crowns of martyrs on their heads, at the feet of Margarita is a dragon, whose head she cut off. Saint Elizabeth gives alms to a beggar who looks with gratitude at his benefactor.
Saint Ivo, ecclesiastical judge of the Franciscan order, patron of widows, orphans and the poor (1711, Matthias Braun, copy).
Ivo of Brittany from 1267 studied jurisprudence and canon law at the Universities of Paris and Orleans. As a church judge, he defended the interests of the Catholic Church from the claims of secular authorities. He paid special attention to people in need, so he gained popularity among ordinary people who called him "the lawyer of the poor." He led a modest, ascetic life, organized hospitals, orphanages and shelters for the homeless.
The sculptural composition depicts a trial at which St. Ivo, together with Themis, the goddess of justice, on whose eyes the bandage is a symbol of the impartiality of the judge, decide the dispute between the son and mother.
The original sculpture is kept in the Lapidarium of the National Museum.
The only statue that stands not on the bridge, but on its support on the south side of the Charles Bridge is the legendary knight Bruncvik (1884, Ludwik Simek).
According to Czech legends, in the third year of his reign, the knight Bruncvik set off to wander the world in order to perform feats and glorify his homeland. Having experienced many dangerous adventures, almost dying, one day the knight saved the life of the King of Beasts. The lion became his friend - a protector and helped to get a magic sword, which itself chopped off the heads of enemies.
Returning home, Bruncvik took his throne, where he ruled safely for 40 years, guarded by a faithful lion and a magic sword. It is believed that this lion is depicted on the coat of arms of the Czech Republic, and the sword is hidden in the base of the Charles Bridge, and will lie there until nothing threatens Prague.
Marina Tsvetaeva wrote about the knight Bruncvik: “I have a friend in Prague, a stone knight, very similar to me in face. He stands on the bridge and guards the river: oaths, rings, waves, bodies. He is about five hundred years old and very young: a stone boy.” She dedicated the poem “The Knight of Prague” to Bruncvik:
Pale
Guard over the splash of the century -
Knight, knight
Guarding the river.
On the pedestal stands the figure of the knight Bruncvik, dressed in armor of the 16th century, in his right hand is the legendary magic sword, in his left hand is a shield with the emblem of Stare Město, at his feet is a lion, a devoted servant and a faithful friend.
According to legend, each statue of Charles Bridge strictly in turn takes under its patronage a child born on Kampa, an island under the bridge. It was the turn of Bruncvik to become the protector of the newborn. Bruncvik thought that under his care the child would grow up as a noble knight and a fighter for justice and freedom.
Bruncvik stepped down from his pedestal, deftly jumped over the railing and paced impatiently along the Charles Bridge, clanging his armor and striking sparks with his spurs. And then a man without a coat ran out of the house on Kampe, and Bruncvik stopped him with a question: “Tell me, please, did someone on Kampe have a boy today? He is healthy?". The fussy man didn't even have time to see who was asking him, he just shouted proudly: “I have it. I'm in a hurry to tell the matchmaker. It's a girl." And he ran on, not noticing that Bruntsvik remained standing like a stone. The knight was waiting for his ward so much, he dreamed of raising him in his own way, and now the warrior got to take care of the girl. He thought he could see faint smiles on the faces of the other statues on the bridge. Frustrated, Bruncvik climbed onto his post and turned his back on Kampa.
The girl was named Anichka, she was healthy and grew rapidly. Bruncvik often heard her calling her mother for help when the boys bullied her, and the knight muttered under his breath: “If she were like me, she would hit that kid once.” But Anichka only squealed and squeaked.
When she began to walk along the Charles Bridge, Bruncvik at first saw only a ponytail of her hair above the stone railing, and as she grew, already a beautiful head. She stood on her tiptoes and threw the pits from the cherries into the nest that the sparrows had made under the feet of the lion Bruncvik. Her behavior seemed unworthy to the knight, in a word, a girl! Then she grew up and started working in a dye-house. With a dozen other girls, she dyed fumes, linen, silk, walked along the Charles Bridge with her arms funny painted up to the elbow. Sometimes green, like a frog's, sometimes red, as if smeared with raspberries, sometimes blue, as if a piece of azure sky had stuck to them. She pored from dawn to dusk to bring home a few coins in the evening, and Bruncvik often heard her and her girlfriends lament, pouring dirty water into the river, hard work and low wages. Bruncvik clenched his teeth every time: “If she were different, she would have thrown the owner into a tank of paint or into the Vltava!” Yes, where is it, Anichka is not like that!
Then came 1848. Bruncvik all perked up, his Prague rebelled and fought. If he could, he would have come running to the aid of Czech students and apprentices who built a barricade in front of the Old Town Bridge Tower against the Austrian army. The battle lasted a long time, and the news spread throughout Kampa that hunger was raging in Staro Mesto. The dyers from Campa not only sympathized with the brave defenders, but also decided to bake them rolls and pies. We bought flour, washed our hands clean and baked it. It was more difficult to decide who would take the gift, because the imperial soldiers fired volleys from the Lesser Town coast, and bullets whistled over the Charles Bridge. They chose Anichka because she was the smallest. She took the basket and quickly crossed the Charles Bridge.
The defenders of the bridge met her, were delighted and ate pastries with great appetite. Now Anichka could return to her shore with an empty basket, but the imperial army intensified their shooting, began firing cannons and throwing incendiary bombs. The mills near the bridge burst into flames, and Anichka had to stay behind the barricade. And then bad things began to happen. Reasonable citizens came to the rebels with advice to leave hopeless resistance against the powerful imperial power. They were afraid that, because of some kind of freedom, their tenement houses would be burned down, and if the rebels laid down their arms, the emperor would be merciful to them and only condescendingly punish them for their senseless rebellion.
After such prudent advice, the defenders of the bridge began to doubt, there were already more talk than shooting, some began to think how to escape, to survive. When they saw that on the other side the Austrian soldiers were preparing a new attack, they were about to leave the barricade. From all this, Anichka felt very sad in her soul, she remembered how she gave her earnings for flour, how she washed her hands and elbows with sand before she began to knead the dough, how she baked all night, how she ran across the bridge under a hail of bullets.
Unexpectedly, Anichka did something that she herself could not explain. She raised a red and white flag with her own hands, which someone had already lowered. How glad she was that her hands were clean! Suddenly, without knowing how, she found herself at the top of the barricade, waved her flag and exclaimed: “For Prague! For the motherland! For freedom! ”Not suspecting that it was the knight Bruncvik who put courage into her heart and into her mouth these words. The defenders immediately stopped their cowardly speeches, took up their guns, took their places on the barricade, and the Austrian soldiers retreated. They did not conquer Prague that day!
Many years passed, Anichka got married, became a portly mother with a quiet and gentle character. But always, when she and her children crossed the Charles Bridge, Bruncvik proudly straightened his chest, chivalrously raised his sword to greet her, and proudly looked back at the rest of the statues.
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The history of the construction of Charles Bridge began in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and ended at the beginning of the 15th century. Its predecessor was the Judith Bridge, built in 1172 during the reign of Vladislav II and his wife, Queen Jutta of Thuringia, after whom it got its name. Charles IV found the bridge in the period of its active use, however, due to the growth in construction, trade and public needs, even then it became necessary to modernize it. During the flood that occurred in 1342, the Yuditin Bridge was severely destroyed. Then the king decided to build a new, more advanced bridge that would meet all modern needs.
According to legend, before starting construction, Charles IV asked for help from astrologers. They determined the ideal time (year, day and hour) to start building the “eternal” bridge. The ruler waited for a favorable moment determined by astrologers and laid the first stone. Until today, the Charles Bridge has not needed major repairs, only occasionally there is a need for a small restoration.
The structure connecting the two banks of the Vltava River was originally called the Stone Bridge or the Prague Bridge, but in 1870 it was officially renamed in honor of the creator, Charles IV. Charles Bridge has served as a connecting link since those distant times Prague Castle and the Old City. For many years it was used as the main road by which the monarchs traveled from the Royal Court to the territory of the Castle. Ordinary citizens had to pay a fee for travel and passage along it.
In 1974 he received the status footbridge. Today you can see street artists, musicians, art dealers and sellers of various decorations and souvenirs there.
Charles Bridge is a majestic structure supported by 16 powerful arches. The supports are finished with hewn sandstone slabs. Its height is 520 m, and its width is about 10 m. On both sides, the bridge is protected by three towers - two of them are on the side of Malaya Strana, and the third is located on the banks of the Old Town. The latter is often referred to as one of the most amazing civil structures in the Gothic style.
The main bridge of Prague is decorated with a sculpture gallery of 30 statues depicting Czech saints. Most of them were created in the Baroque style between 1683 and 1714. The most famous Czech sculptors of that time participated in the design of the bridge: Matthias Braun, Jan Brokoff, as well as his sons, Ferdinand Maximilian and Michal.
The most famous sculptures of the unique gallery are the "Crucifixion" group, "The Vision of St. Luitgard", the stone face of John of Nepomuk, as well as the work of the sculptor Brokoff depicting a Turk who guards captured Christians. The statue of John of Nepomuk depicts a martyr honored in the Czech capital, whom Wenceslas IV drowned in the waters of the Vlatva River. It is very popular on the Charles Bridge - there is a belief that if you touch it and make a wish, it will certainly come true in the near future.
Sculpture "Crucifixion":
Statue of the martyr John of Nepomuk:
Turk guarding Christians:
Starting in 1965, all statues were gradually replaced with copies, and the originals were moved to National Museum at Vystavishte, where they are to this day.
Closest stop to Charles Bridge public transport on the left bank of the Vltava - Malostranská. You can get to it by trams No. 1, 8, 12, 18, 20 and 22, as well as by metro (line A). On the right bank, next to the attraction, there is the Staroměstská stop, which can be reached by trams No. 17, 18 and by metro (line A).
