Charles Bridge - Prague - Things To Do Reviews

The Charles Bridge is my favorite part of visiting Prague. The gothic architecture, the views (especially at night) and the many artists and performers of all types that gather on this bridge make it a unique tourist attraction. Even the black color of this bridge with its two massive towers on either end speak for its age and importance to early trade routes. The cobblestone surface and the texture of the stone brings out a richness of the historical significance and allows pedestrians to get a close-up glimpse of the craftsmanship of the era when it was built. This is a definite must-see for all of Europe!


Charles Bridge (Czech: Karlův most) is a famous historical bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. Absolute Location: 50°5′11.21″N 14°24′42.68″E / 50.0864472, 14.4118556. Its 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 Vltava (Moldau), the 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. [From Wikipedia]

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 and statuaries, most of them baroque-style, erected around 1700. [From Wikipedia]

During the night Charles Bridge is a quiet witness of medieval times. But during the day it changes its face into a very busy place. Painters, owners of kiosks and other traders compete for the attention of numerous tourists crossing the bridge. [From Wikipedia]

Sorry to have to quote from Wikipedia, but I am not the best when recreating the historical and acrchitectual details of this magnificant peice of functional art. Definitely take an evening stroll across this bridge when the artists, street actors and souvenier sales people are fewer and the views are more magnificant. Walk through time across Charles Bridge in Prague!

Beautiful particularly at sunset