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 link between the Prague Castle and the Old Town since those distant times. 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 from 1965, all the statues were gradually replaced by copies, and the originals were moved to the National Museum on Vystavist, 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).
They say that during the construction of the Prague bridge, Charles IV, in order to improve the quality of the bonding solution, ordered to collect eggs from all over the Czech Republic and add them to the mixture. The peasants of one of the villages understood the desire of the emperor in their own way, and in order to please their ruler, they boiled them hard-boiled and sent them to the capital ready-made.
Few bridges in the world have as many myths, legends and stories as about the Charles Bridge. It is located in the capital of the Czech Republic, Prague, and connects two districts separated by the Vltava River - the Prague Small Town (Little Strana) and the Old Town.
It was built in the XIV century. by order of Emperor Charles IV, it was supposed to replace its destroyed predecessor - the Judith Bridge, which, although stone, did not last long, about two centuries. It was destroyed by a severe flood, when the wood captured by water and blocks of ice could not pass between the bridge supports, got stuck and blocked the way for floating trees, beams, fragments of the fence, etc. Those, in turn, having accumulated near the structure, thanks to the strong pressure of water, broke through the blockade - and out of 24 pillars of the structure, only six survived.
Naturally, Prague could not do without a bridge connecting two parts of one city. First of all, this was reflected in the financial well-being of the capital, since the lack of normal communication had a negative impact on trade. The city also had a good profit from it, since almost everyone paid for the transition.
Construction
The project for a new crossing was developed quite quickly, but it was not built right away. First, it was necessary to remove all the debris and debris that had accumulated due to the destruction of the Yudit bridge. Since it was impossible to build a structure in the same place, it was decided to build it a little higher up the river. And here the construction work was hindered by numerous houses and mills built along the coast - this issue also had to be resolved. In addition, just at that time, a plague was operating in the Czech Republic, which claimed many lives.
Fifteen years after the destruction of the Judith Bridge, in 1357, the construction of a new crossing began, and the emperor appointed 23-year-old Peter Parlerzh as the chief architect.
The emperor approached the choice of the date for the start of construction very responsibly and expressed a desire to consult not only with engineers, but also with astrologers. And those, so that the new structure could withstand more than one century, recommended that construction work begin when all the numbers, both in date and time, would be unpaired. According to legend, the foundation stone was laid on July 9, 1357 at 5:31 am Old Bohemian time.
Unfortunately, no direct information has been preserved on exactly how construction work progressed (one cannot even name the exact date of putting it into operation), so historians draw their conclusions based on indirect evidence.
To build the Charles Bridge, red sandstone, hewn blocks, small stones were used as building materials (the pebbles were subsequently poured with a solution of such good quality that it was impossible to crush the resulting building material - they filled the cavities of the bridge).
It was decided to build the Charles Bridge forty meters from its predecessor up the river: the fragments of the destroyed crossing made it impossible to build a new structure in the previous place (especially since there was a temporary wooden bridge, which was not practical to dismantle before the completion of construction work).
Whereas the arch of the Yuditino Bridge rose a little more than three meters above the river level, the Charles Bridge - all twelve. Instead of twenty-four pillars, because of which the Yuditin Bridge was destroyed, it was decided to install sixteen, thus, the space between the arches became wider.
Charles Bridge was made wider than the previous one by three and a half meters, so its final width was about ten meters. A tower was erected behind the first support, from which the following supports, already installed in the water, went. Since during construction there were no technical possibilities to install supports as deep as possible in the river bed, they go into the ground only 2.3 m.
Near the third pillar, the builders built two platforms. The site, located on the left, was intended for the beheading of convicts, whose bodies, after execution, according to legend, were thrown into the river. Living people were thrown from the same platform, having previously sewn them into bags.
On the platform on the right, on the one hand, a wooden cross was installed, on the other, God's torment - a pillar with a narrow chapel, where the condemned had the opportunity to pray and express their last wish before death.
Charles Bridge was not built in a straight line, but was slightly curved against the current (this was done so that the water pressure on the bridge supports was not the same). Near the Prague Castle, the axis of the bridge turns to the bridge tower located there (then it was one) - an entrance was made here.
What does Prague Bridge look like?
For all my centuries of history The Charles Bridge in Prague has been rebuilt and changed its appearance more than once. For example, if now you can see a huge number of sculptures here, then at the end of the first construction there was only one statue - it depicted the Czech knight Bruncvik and adorned the previous bridge (this sculpture was destroyed by a cannonball in 1648).
The same can be said about the gate at the entrance to the bridge, in front of which a ditch was dug and a wooden deck was thrown over. They were installed much later, the gates were closed at night, and in case of danger the bridge was removed. In the 17th century a guardhouse was built here, which existed for about two centuries.
Now the Charles Bridge looks like this:
- Length - 520 m;
- Width - about 10 m;
- Charles Bridge supports sixteen sandstone pillars;
- In the middle of the XIX century. a neo-gothic staircase was added to the bridge, along which you can go down to the island of Campo, located in the middle of the river;
- On both sides of the structure there are towers, which, until sculptures were installed on the bridge, for a long time were almost the only decorations of the Charles Bridge.
Old Town Tower - from it you could get into Old city. This Gothic building was erected over the first pillar of the bridge at the end of the 14th century. It is decorated with various coats of arms, decorative elements, and above the gate you can see the kingfisher, the favorite bird of Wenceslas IV.
Here, on the tower, you can see the statues of the patrons of the Czech Republic - St. Vojtech and St. Sigismund, as well as the Prague bridge - St. Vita. Naturally, the sculptors and kings Charles IV and Wenceslas IV could not ignore.
Lesser Town Towers - buildings located on the western bank of the Vltava, were erected at different times. The smaller tower was built almost immediately, and the second, higher one, appeared already in the middle of the 15th century. Some time after the completion of the construction of the second building, a gate was placed between the towers.
statues
Many believe that if you touch a statue of the Charles Bridge with your hand and make a wish, it will certainly come true (just as the wish of lovers will come true if they kiss each other while on the bridge, making it).
The statues, most of which depict Czech saints, were erected at the end of the 17th century. (now there are thirty sculptures, mostly copies, since the originals were transferred to the museum to protect them from destruction).
The oldest statue is the sculpture of the martyr John of Nepomuk, whom Wenceslas IV ordered to be drowned in the river. Locals claim that if after you make a wish, you touch the base of the statue, it will surely come true.
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(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 for 437 years the Order of the Trinitarian ( Holy Trinity) redeemed 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.
👁 Do we always book a hotel on Booking? Not only Booking exists in the world (🙈 we pay for a horse percentage from hotels!) I have been practicing Rumguru for a long time, it’s really more profitable 💰💰 Booking.
👁 Do you know? 🐒 this is the evolution of city tours. VIP guide - a city dweller, will show the most unusual places and tell urban legends, tried it, it's fire 🚀! Prices from 600 rubles. - will definitely please 🤑
👁 The best search engine in Runet - Yandex ❤ started selling air tickets! 🤷
general information
Before the Charles Bridge was built across the Vltava, Praguers tried twice to build bridges, but none of them lasted long. They were destroyed by floods. For local residents it seemed that higher powers did not allow to build a crossing between the left and right banks. But King Charles IV decided not to give up and approach the construction of the bridge thoroughly. To do this, he gathered astrologers and ordered them to calculate a favorable time for construction. The date has been set. Construction began in 1357 on 09.07 at 5.31. As you can see, such a time is not accidental and is a palindrome, that is, it is equally read in both directions.
Charles Bridge, built on such a magical date, and, however, turned out to be strong. Not a single flood touched him. In addition, it still does not require major repairs and is only occasionally restored. Another noteworthy fact is that the architect of the bridge, Petr Parler, was still quite a youngster when he was offered this project. He was barely 22 years old. This is quite unusual, because in order to receive such an order, one had to have considerable experience and fame. But Peter did an excellent job and justified the hopes of the king.
The construction of the Charles Bridge also has its own legend. It is believed that instead of a cementing mixture for bonding stone blocks, the architect ordered the use of egg white. Therefore, by order of the king, the messengers went to collect tribute from the population with chicken eggs. Thanks to this material, according to popular rumor, the Charles Bridge is so strong.
However, there is a more frightening legend. It is believed that Peter Parlerge made a deal with the Devil so that the bridge would stand forever and not collapse. In exchange, the Devil demanded the immortal soul of the first person to cross this bridge, and the architect agreed. But the insidious Mephistopheles decided to lure Peter's little son, who was playing nearby, to the bridge, only in last second The father noticed the little boy and saved him. And the first to let a black rooster over the bridge, which drove out the devil and cleared the bridge.
Despite such a frightening legend about the construction, the Charles Bridge itself is considered a very bright place with positive energy. Even the Dalai Lama, who walked across the bridge back in 1990, said that walking in this place is good for health.
But the bridge itself is not all, it received a special charm only in 1683, when sculptures began to appear on it. They were added until 1714. A little earlier, the bridge looked more intimidating and not at all attractive, because from 1621 to 1631, the heads of executed Czech nobles who joined the uprising against the Habsburgs were hung on the bridge. But now all these terrible massacres are forgotten, and the sculptures do not remember the horror of bygone days.
There are 31 sculptural compositions on the Charles Bridge. However, almost all of the presented sculptures are copies, and the originals are kept in the museum, but this makes them no less charming and attractive. Many sculptures also have their own legends and beliefs, and some even bring good luck. Especially loved is the statue of John of Nepomuk. Finding it to make a wish is as easy as shelling pears, because tourists have rubbed it to a shine and it stands out against the background of other statues.
The bronze figurine of Nepomuk has 5 stars located around his head. For the wish to come true, each finger of the right hand must be leaned against the star. And with your left hand touch the feet of the saint. In this case, the right foot should touch the golden nail on the pavement. A wish must be made in this position, only then it will come true.
You can also make a wish at the entrance to the Charles Bridge if you manage to find the 5th Kingfisher. And at the sculpture of a naked boy, those women who want to get pregnant make a wish. The Charles Bridge itself is a rather amazing and colorful place, which is probably why it has so many legends and tales, as well as true stories which turned into epics and fairy tales. So, when visiting Prague, be sure to walk along this picturesque bridge and don't forget to make at least one wish.
It is simply impossible to visit Prague and not walk along the Charles Bridge. This place is so closely connected with the history of the Czech Republic that it has become a kind of symbol of the capital. The length of the bridge exceeds half a kilometer, and the width is 10 m. The bridge is supported by 16 reliable supports, which, for all their strength, seem elegant. The bridge connects Stare Mesto and Mala Strana.
A nice bonus only for our readers - a discount coupon when paying for tours on the site until July 31:
- AF500guruturizma - promo code for 500 rubles for tours from 40,000 rubles
- AF2000TGuruturizma - promo code for 2,000 rubles. for tours to Tunisia from 100,000 rubles.
And you will find many more advantageous offers from all tour operators on the website. Compare, choose and book tours at the best prices!
Charles Bridge is one of the oldest structures. Initially, even before its construction, the Yuditin Bridge was thrown across the Vltava. But it collapsed at the beginning of the 14th century, in the spring, unable to withstand the pressure of water and ice. It was decided to build a new bridge several tens of meters downstream. Construction began in the second half of the 14th century, according to an order given by Emperor Charles IV. The date of the most favorable start of construction was determined by astrologers, and the emperor himself laid the first stone in the foundation. Since then, it was on this bridge that future monarchs traveled to the coronation ceremony. Ordinary citizens were charged for crossing the bridge.
Two orders of chivalry "controlled" the bridge. One order was in charge of keeping the bridge clean and repairing if necessary. The second took duties for the transport of goods along the Vltava. Both orders were given land near the Charles Bridge, and there was active development in these areas. The bridge quickly became the center of life in the Czech capital. Fairs were held here, and knights fought in tournaments "for the king and beautiful ladies." During the revolutions that shook Europe in 1848, the bridge was blocked by barricades. And during World War II, Czechs brought fresh flowers here and placed them at the feet of sculptures depicting saints, asking them to rid their native land of invaders.
Starting from the end of the 19th century. A tram ran across the bridge. Only in 1974 the Charles Bridge was completely given over to pedestrians. Since then, a kind of "Czech Arbat" has been located here. Artists sell their paintings and draw portraits here, and artisans sell souvenirs. In addition, numerous guests of Prague come to the bridge to look at the beautiful sculptures, touch the history that seems to come to life here, and make a wish. The Czechs assure that if the wish is good, it will certainly come true. There is a museum next to the bridge. If you visit it, you will learn the history of this famous building in more detail, look at documents, drawings and photographs. Almost until the end of the 19th century, the bridge was called the Prague Bridge, but then, by the will of the Czech people, it was renamed Karlov.
Sculptures on the Charles Bridge
Today there are 30 statues on the Charles Bridge. The first sculptures appeared here at the end of the 17th century, since then their number has only increased. True, some figures turned out to be so valuable historically and artistically that they were replaced with copies. The originals are carefully kept in National Museum. Russian tourists can recognize here John the Baptist, Saints Cyril and Methodius, the Mother of God, John the Evangelist, Mary Magdalene and other saints honored by the Orthodox Church. The roads for believing Czechs are the martyr Jan of Nepomuk, Saints John of Czech and Wenceslas, and many others.
Almost constantly, guides with their wards pass along the bridge, stories are heard in all languages, including Russian. Stay here longer - and you will learn the history of each sculpture. Including you will be told which statue is the original and which is a copy. Also an integral feature of the bridge are its three towers - Staromestskaya, Malostranska and Yuditina.
How to make a wish
A lot of tourists come to Charles Bridge just to make a wish. In order for the wish to come true, you need to approach the sculpture depicting John of Nepomuk. First touch the right side of it, and then move your hand to the left and touch the dog with the palm of your hand. Another option. On the grating of the bridge is the place where the martyr Yang was thrown into the river. Press your fingers to the golden stars and wish something good with all your heart. Of course, you can not guess what, in principle, cannot come true. And the saint will certainly give a chance to fulfill good desires.
How to get to the bridge
The easiest option is to call a taxi, or walk to the bridge if your hotel is nearby. You can also take the tram. Trams will take you to Charles Bridge: No. 1, 2, 12, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 25, 93, 97. If you decide to use the metro, you need to take one of the trains running along line A and get off at Staromestska or Malostranska station. Climbing up, you will find yourself on the western or eastern side of the bridge. Another tip if you love photography and want to take beautiful pictures Charles Bridge - come here at dawn. At this time of day, the bridge is especially beautiful, and you will not be disturbed by the numerous tourists who obscure its sculptures and put their hands on the "places of fulfillment of desires."
Located on the banks of the Vltava River
amazing
2830 reviews
Booked today 19 times
Book
Merchants Crown Hotel
500 meters from Old Town Square
amazing
930 reviews
Booked today 31 times
Book
Hotel Leon D´Oro
Between Wenceslas Square and Old Town Square
amazing
5030 reviews
Booked today 27 times
Book
Residence Bologna
400 meters from Charles Bridge
7649 reviews
Booked today 46 times
