October - 2014
Charles Bridge - Prague
The Charles Bridge (Karlův most) is the oldest bridge of Prague, built since 1357 until the 15th century. With medieval features, it is 621m long and 10m wide. It crosses the Vltava river, connecting the Old Town to the Little Quarter. Throughout its length there are 30 statues, most of them baroque style. They were originally erected around 1700, but currently all of them were replaced by replicas.
This is an impressive bridge, all the statues were incredibly well crafted and each one contains its own story.
The most famous statue of the bridge belongs to John of Nepomuk. He was a priest in Prague under King Wenceslas IV and received confessions of the Queen. Under suspicions, the king wanted to know the confessions of the queen, but Nepumok refused to reveal. The priest was therefore executed by being thrown into the Vltava river and drown. It became a tradition for the tourists to make a wish and touch the plaque of the priest statue. It is supposed to bring good luck and ensure your return to Prague.
At night the bridge is as beautiful as by day, with its special lighting. Each entrance has a tower and they can be seen in the following photos. It is also possible to see the St. Vitus Cathedral with its night lighting. Located right next to the bridge is the Karlovy lázně, the largest disco club in Central Europe, an entire building with five floors and an Ice Pub.
In the morning the sun and fog leave the photos with another wonderful aspect. Both the view of the bridge statues and the Vltava river are magnificent.