All the secrets of the Charles Bridge and the best time of day to avoid the crowds!
The Charles Bridge is Prague’s most emblematic monument. It’s a must-see! Among Prague’s must-sees are Old Town Square and the Castle, but when you return from your trip to Prague, it’s the majestic Charles Bridge that you’re likely to remember most. According to TripAdvisor, „the Charles Bridge is the 8th best viewpoint in the world, thanks to the exceptional panorama it offers. It is also cited as the 6th most beautiful monument in the world by travel website Kuoni. The latter compiled the number of times the word „magnificent” appeared on Tripadvisor for 267 cities. In Europe, only the Trevi Fountain, the Sagrada Familia and Notre-Dame de Paris beat out the prettiest bridge in Prague, and perhaps the world!
It’s one of my favorite monuments in Prague (where I live!)
This article will show you all the secrets of the Charles Bridge and how to cross it at the best time of day. If you come to admire it at the wrong time, the influx of tourists could make your visit a real pain. You’ll also find here the five fun superstitions to observe on the bridge, plus the 3 spots where to take the best photos. And at the end of the article, my good idea for a little-known hotel right next to this exceptional monument!
The Charles Bridge is free to visit!
The Charles Bridge is free of charge. It has been entirely pedestrian since 1974 (a horse-drawn tramway crossed it in 1883, then an electric streetcar in 1905 and finally a bus in 1908; streetcars and buses crossed the bridge until the Second World War, and cars circulated on it until 1965). A visit to the bridge is one of the first things you should do in Prague. Don’t go during the day, as you’ll be shoulder-to-shoulder with thousands of tourists, and you’ll have a hard time making headway. For your visit to the Charles Bridge, here’s a first piece of advice to be scrupulously observed: cross it at night or in the early morning to avoid tourists and street vendors (street artists and other souvenir sellers).
Late at night, early in the morning or in the snow, choose the time of your visit carefully!
Do like the singer of the group INXS in this wonderful clip shot in Prague (a web surfer has compiled a list of the Prague landmarks featured in the clip) and stroll along the Charles Bridge in bad weather. Or, even better, in winter when it’s snowing! This happened to me one night a few years ago. The snowflakes were flying in the glow of the streetlamps, and the bridge was deserted. 516 meters without a soul in sight, an incredible silence, my footsteps muffled by the snow, only the statues staring back at me with their dark eyes. It’s at times like these that I think how lucky I am to live in Prague! A bit like Tom Cruise in this clip from Mission Impossible filmed in Prague, but without the adrenalin!
In December, follow the lamplighter
There’s always a gas lamplighter in Prague during Advent. If you’re traveling to Prague in winter, don’t miss it, and cross the bridge at dusk, which is around 4 p.m. at this time of year (twilight between 4.05 and 4.15 p.m.). Start on the left bank around 4:30 p.m. so you can pass him when it’s less crowded. From December 1st, using a wick lit at the top of a wooden pole over 2 meters long, he lights the 46 gas lamps installed on the Charles Bridge and on Křížovnické náměstí Square, located at the entrance to the bridge.
Introduced in 1847, gas streetlamps numbered 9,000 in 1940 before disappearing in 1985. The last gas lamps to operate were the large eight-branched streetlamps on Place du Château and Place de Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, before they too were fitted with electric bulbs. The municipality decided to reintroduce gas lighting in 2002 in certain districts and in 2010 on the Charles Bridge (with, at the same time, the return of the lamplighter) to give the „Golden City” its characteristic color at night. today, 600 gas streetlamps are in operation (8th largest in the world, after the 30,000 gas streetlamps in Berlin and cities such as Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Boston, London…). You’ll find them all along the Royal Way, i.e. along the Powder Tower (next to the Municipal House)-Old Town Square-Charles Bridge-Castle axis (candelabra in Hradčanské náměstí). Today, there is just one lamplighter left in Prague, compared with 130 in the 1920s and 1930s! Until December 23, at around 4pm, you can follow the lamplighter on his tour. Dressed in his 19th-century costume, he starts lighting the lamps on the Old Town side of Charles Bridge. The crossing of the Charles Bridge often lasts a good hour, as the lamplighter takes the opportunity to chat with curious tourists and take selfies! Sometimes he even lends his pole to children for an unforgettable souvenir. There are still lamplighters in Wroclaw in Poland, Brest in Belarus and London, but that’s about it… This Prague „spectacle” is therefore quite exceptional, especially as the Charles Bridge is the only gas-lit bridge in the world.
The Charles Bridge: History you need to know!
The Charles Bridge (Karlův most) -and not the Pont Saint-Charles as I sometimes hear it called (that’s the Marseille train station)-is probably Prague’s most beautiful monument, and a must-see symbol of the city. The bridge was originally known as the Prague Bridge, as it was the only bridge at the time. It was later called the Stone Bridge, before being renamed the Charles Bridge at the end of the 19th century, in honor of its founder, Charles IV. The bridge was therefore built in the 14th century under the reign of Charles IV, who laid the first stone on July 9, 1357 at 5:31 a.m. Why this date and time? Charles IV chose the time on the advice of court astronomers. The planet Mars and the constellation Leo, symbol of the Bohemian kings, were aligned on this date. And the time chosen made for an interesting palindrome composed of odd numbers in order: 1357, 9/7, 5:31. But Charles IV never saw the bridge built, dying in 1378, and it was completed in 1402. This Gothic bridge was built on the ruins of the Judith Bridge (1172), which failed to withstand a flood. All that remains is the Judith Tower (the smaller of the two towers on the left bank, with a devil looking like Shrek on its façade), with its stone supports and arches (notably in the Hotel Rezidence Lundborg, now closed).
Charles Bridge links the bourgeois Old Town (the right bank, Křižovnické náměstí) with the noble quarter of Mála Strana (the left bank, Mostecká Street). Until 1741, this was the only bridge to span the Vltava, and its construction lasted some 50 years. Completed in 1402 (516 m long and 9.5 m wide on 16 pillars), the bridge has seen coronations and burials of kings, tournaments and jousts, concerts and, on the Old Town tower, the heads of 12 executed Protestant lords (1621). The bridge received a complete facelift in 2010. There is a tower at each end: the Old Town tower, a Gothic masterpiece, dates from the 16th century and was damaged by Swedish army cannonballs in 1648.
There are thirty statues (there’s even a thirty-first statue of Bruncvik and his golden sword on a pillar of the bridge in Kampa, also known as Roland, after the hero of medieval chivalry legends peddled in Europe at the time. One of Prague’s many legends). Most of the statues, added in the 17th and 18th centuries, are Baroque and depict saints. They are the work of such important artists as Matthias Braun (statue of St. Ludmila and Little Wenceslas, circa 1720) and Jan Brokoff father and son (statue of St. Francis Xavier, 1711). Sculptures also include St. Vitus (holding a cross and a palm leaf), protector of the bridge and of disease. Many of the statues are copies, despite their dark sandstone (6 original Baroque statues can be seen in the Vyšehrad or Gorlice casemates, including the aforementioned St. Ludmila).
The best-known figure on the bridge, St. John Nepomuk, ended up in the river
The best-known statue is also the oldest (1683). It’s the statue of St. John Nepomuk, installed there by the Jesuits. You won’t want to miss it: his head is surmounted by a golden halo, and he carries a large crucifix in his arms. Saint John Nepomucene, patron saint of Bohemia, beatified in 1721 and canonized in 1729, was vicar general of the Prague archdiocese until King Wenceslas IV had him tortured and thrown over the bridge on March 20, 1393. A tragic end for the confessor of Queen Žofie (Sophie of Bavaria), who, according to legend, refused to repeat to the jealous king what his wife – possibly stealing – confided to him (the pedestal shows the queen confiding and Nepomucene being thrown over the parapet. People were so moved by superstition that it has a nice patina). It was also the time of the Great Schism of 1378 within the Catholic Church, and while the king supported the Pope in Avignon, Jean remained loyal to the Rome-based pontiff. According to legend, the river returned the body of Jean Népomucène accompanied by a halo of five stars… A few metres from the statue is a well-polished golden cross marking the scene of the crime, which is also touched as a sign of good luck (see below). Nepomuk, as the Czechs call him, patron saint of boatmen, also protects the town from flooding, and it is estimated that there are around 66,000 representations of the saint worldwide!
Threatened time and again by floods, the Charles Bridge has always withstood the waves, thanks to its 16 pillars. It’s a delight for tourists and sports enthusiasts alike, as every year it’s the most popular route in the popular Prague Marathon.
Fun: 5 superstitions associated with the Charles Bridge
Five legends and superstitions are associated with the Charles Bridge. Here they are in detail:
1- The first legend dates back to the bridge’s construction, when thousands of eggs were brought in from the villages around Prague to form the mortar binder for the masonry (just as raw egg is added to meatballs to make them firmer). The uninspired villagers of Velvary even made the mistake of sending hard-boiled eggs, lest they break on the journey. In 2008, during renovation work on the bridge, scientists from VSCHT, Prague’s Institute of Chemical Technology, took samples of the original mortar. Their analysis showed that the 14th-century mortar contained egg proteins! This finding was invalidated by scientists from Charles University’s Faculty of Science in 2010. So, legend or not? In any case, the practice was not uncommon in the Middle Ages, and milk, curds, ox blood, beer or wine were all used. Since 2015, the event has been commemorated with a procession called the „Egg Festival” on the bridge, as you’ll see in this video.
2- Today, tourists like to touch two figures located on the pedestal of the statue of the martyr St. John Nepomucene (with a strong patina): that of a dog, a sign of fidelity, and that of the queen. It’s said to bring good luck and a promise of a speedy return to Prague. So don’t hesitate!
3- If you place your hand on the golden star set into the balustrade a few meters before the statue of St. John Nepomuk (coming from the Old Town), all your wishes will be granted. Your five fingers must touch every star on the iron cross and every star on the parapet. This means that two hands won’t be enough. You’ll also notice a small metal button on the ground to put your right foot on. Without it, I don’t know if it works! This is the very spot where Saint-Jean Népomucène was thrown into the water, and it is said that the stars appeared the moment his head touched the water…
For an unforgettable stay, make a wish on the Charles Bridge
4- Another legend has it that at night, the statues come to life and engage in long, animated palavers. Check it out, as this is the best time to visit the Charles Bridge!
5- The last superstition doesn’t really concern the Charles Bridge , but it does appeal to tourists. As in many cities crossed by a beautiful river, lovers can seal their love in Prague by hanging a padlock. One of Prague’s most romantic spots is just a stone’s throw from the Charles Bridge. Between the river and the John Lennon Wall, lovers meet on a small bridge that spans the Čertovka, a small tributary of the Vltava that bounds the Kampa district.
What to see and do next to the Charles Bridge?
Explore the left bank of the bridge (Mála Strana)
- Don’t forget the John Lennon Wall, where you’ll be able to take some great souvenir photos.
- As for museums, the Karel Zeman Museum at the foot of the bridge (Saská 3) will appeal to children and adults alike.
- Hergetova Cihelna (Hegert’s Brickworks), with its charming courtyard, is also worth a visit. Here you’ll find both the Kafka Museum, dedicated to Prague’s iconic writer, and a good restaurant, Brick’s, with its spectacular view of the Charles Bridge.
- Not forgetting, in the same courtyard, David Černý’s statue of a man pissing (baptized Piss, by the way)!
- Another lovely terrace with a great view of the Charles Bridge is the Čertovka restaurant, accessed via Prague’s narrowest street, which is one of the unusual things to see in Prague.
Right or left bank, there’s plenty to do near the Charles Bridge
Explore the right bank of the bridge (Old Town)
- Fans will be drawn to the Charles Bridge Museum. There’s also the Smetana Museum and its statue if you appreciate the great Czech composer and classical music.
- Not far away is the Garnet Museum, one of the best souvenirs to bring back from Prague.
- In a different vein, the Prague Beer Museum (Smetanovo nábřeží 22 and 3 other addresses in Prague), where you can sample some 30 Czech beers, if you can believe it!
- After a few beers, you might like to dance the night away at Zlatý Strom or dine at Klub Lávka (a terrace with an exceptional view of the Charles Bridge and pedal-boat hire available in fine weather).
Where to photograph the Charles Bridge from?
You can take superb photos of the Charles Bridge from
- from the island of Kampa
- from the northern tip of Archers’ Island (Střelecký ostrov)
- letná Park.
- And don’t forget the three restaurants recommended above.
And if you’d like to take home a souvenir of the Charles Bridge, it features the Czech 50 CZK (2 EUR) coin.
Sleep at the foot of the Charles Bridge: a good hotel deal
If you want to stay at the foot of the Charles Bridge, but really at the foot, I recommend Hotel U Tří Pštrosů (Hotel Aux trois autruches). Three ostriches on the façade because the hotel was built by an ostrich feather merchant in the late 16th century! A magnificent 18-room Renaissance hotel (9 rooms with painted ceilings and 11 rooms overlooking the Charles Bridge) where reservations are made well in advance to ensure a room on the scheduled dates.
If this little hotel is fully booked…
I also recommend, just a stone’s throw from the Charles Bridge
- Left bank: Pod Věží, U Zlatých Nůžek or Archibald at the Charles bridge
- Right bank, The Mozart Prague
And if all that really doesn’t suit you, do a search for hotels near the Charles Bridge to be as close as possible to Prague’s most beautiful symbol.