Charles Bridge's construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the beginning of 15th century. As the only means of crossing the river in Prague, Charles Bridge used to be the most important connection between the Old Town, Prague Castle and adjacent areas until 1841. Also this 'solid-land' connection made Prague important as a trade route between east and west Europe. The bridge was originally called the Stone Bridge (Kamenný most) or the Prague Bridge (Pražský most) but has been the "Charles Bridge" since 1870.
The bridge is 516 meters long and nearly 10 meters wide, resting on 16 arches shielded by ice guards. It is protected by three bridge towers, two of them on the Lesser Quarter side and the third one on the Old Town side. The Old Town bridge tower is often considered to be one of the most astonishing civil gothic-style buildings in the world. The bridge is decorated by a continuous alley of 30 statues, most of them baroque-style, erected around 1700.
During the night Charles Bridge is supposed to be a quiet witness of medieval times. However, it didn't happen during our trip as we happened to visit Prague on the Easter weekend where everyone decided to go to Prague too. During the day, it is almost impossible to navigate through Charles Bridge without bumping into other people. It is a very busy place where painters, owners of the kiosks, and black sailors trade to carry away some money on the tourists.
The alley of 30 mostly baroque statues and statuaries situated on the balustrade forms a unique connection of artistic styles with the underlying gothic bridge. Most sculptures were erected between 1683 and 1714. They depict various saints and patron paints venerated at that time. Among the most notable sculptures, St John of Nepomuk. Beginning in 1965, all of the statues have been systematically replaced by replicas and the originals have been exhibited in the lapidarium of the National Museum.
