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Temperature: -12.4°C
Conditions: Scattered Clouds
Wind Speed: 0.0km/h
Wind Direction: NNE
The Charles Bridge across the Vltava river which joins together the Old Town with the Lesser Quarter is considered to be the most famous Prague monument. It was founded on July 9th 1357 and built during the reign of Charles IV in place of the Judith Bridge which had been destroyed during a flood in 1342.
The Charles Bridge measures 520 metres in length, is 9,5 metres wide and is made of sandstone blocks. According to old legends eggs, milk and wine were added to the mortar in order to strengthen the construction. Its building in the Gothic style was directed by Petr Parléř. Around the year 1373 he finished the bridge tower on the Old Town side. The building of the bridge wasn’t completed until the beginning of the 15th century.
The bridge is decorated with 30 Baroque sculptures and groups of sculptures most of which date from the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century. Many of these statues were created by the foremost masters of Baroque sculpture, Matyáš Bernard Braun, Jan Brokoff and his sons Ferdinand Maxmilián and Michal Jan. In order to preserve these monuments some of the sculptures have been replaced by copies; the original sculptures can be seen in the Lapidárium of the National Museum.
The Charles Bridge is enclosed by two gates, one in the Old Town Bridge Tower, the other in the Lesser Town Bridge Tower.
In 1723 the bridge was lit by oil lamps and these were not replaced by gas lamps until 1866. At one time trams ran across this oldest Prague bridge. The bridge has survived many floods, the last being in 2002, though in the past it was damaged several times – during the flood in 1784 and in 1890 when 2 bridge arches were destroyed.
At present the Charles Bridge is a pedestrian zone and an open air shopping gallery.
The Charles Bridge measures 520 metres in length, is 9,5 metres wide and is made of sandstone blocks. According to old legends eggs, milk and wine were added to the mortar in order to strengthen the construction. Its building in the Gothic style was directed by Petr Parléř. Around the year 1373 he finished the bridge tower on the Old Town side. The building of the bridge wasn’t completed until the beginning of the 15th century.
The bridge is decorated with 30 Baroque sculptures and groups of sculptures most of which date from the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century. Many of these statues were created by the foremost masters of Baroque sculpture, Matyáš Bernard Braun, Jan Brokoff and his sons Ferdinand Maxmilián and Michal Jan. In order to preserve these monuments some of the sculptures have been replaced by copies; the original sculptures can be seen in the Lapidárium of the National Museum.
The Charles Bridge is enclosed by two gates, one in the Old Town Bridge Tower, the other in the Lesser Town Bridge Tower.
In 1723 the bridge was lit by oil lamps and these were not replaced by gas lamps until 1866. At one time trams ran across this oldest Prague bridge. The bridge has survived many floods, the last being in 2002, though in the past it was damaged several times – during the flood in 1784 and in 1890 when 2 bridge arches were destroyed.
At present the Charles Bridge is a pedestrian zone and an open air shopping gallery.
Feb
10
Current Conditions : -12.4C, Scattered Clouds 4:25AM CET
Temperature: -12.4°C
Conditions: Scattered Clouds
Wind Speed: 0.0km/h
Wind Direction: NNE
Temperature: -12.4°C
Conditions: Scattered Clouds
Wind Speed: 0.0km/h
Wind Direction: NNE
