Charles Bridge

Charles Bridge (Karlův most) was begun under Emperor Charles IV in 1357. The date of the first stone was apparently chosen by Charles himself with astrological precision: 9 July 1357 at 5:31am, which reads as a numerical palindrome 1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1 and was believed to give the bridge magical protection. Whether or not this worked depends on your view of numerological protection, but the bridge has stood for 670 years and survived the Thirty Years War, several major floods, and enough tourist foot traffic to polish the cobblestones to a shine.

The Bridge

621 metres across the Vltava, connecting Old Town to Malá Strana (Lesser Town). Thirty Baroque statues along the balustrades, most added between 1683 and 1714. The most-touched is Saint John Nepomuk (1683), the priest thrown from the bridge on the orders of King Wenceslas IV for refusing to reveal the queen’s confession; the bronze relief on the base has been polished bright by centuries of wish-making. The originals of some statues are in the Lapidarium museum; many on the bridge are copies.

The bridge is at its best before 7:30am. By 10am it is dense with vendors, musicians, and tour groups. Both bridge towers are climbable for elevated views; the Old Town Tower on the eastern end is particularly notable Gothic architecture and worth the stairs.

Getting the Timing Right

Prague is among the most visited cities in Europe, and most of that volume concentrates in a small area between Old Town Square and the castle. Going at 7am is not a sacrifice; it is the experience the rest of the day doesn’t offer.

From the western end of the bridge, Malá Strana district rewards 30 minutes of wandering before continuing up to Prague Castle. The lanes between the bridge and Petřín Hill have some of the most intact 17th and 18th-century streetscape in central Prague.

Where to Eat Near the Bridge

Lokál on Dlouhá 33, ten minutes from the bridge in Old Town, does the correct Czech pub experience: tank-poured unpasteurised Pilsner Urquell, svíčková (beef sirloin in cream sauce with dumplings), goulash. Mains CZK 200 to 350. Go at lunch rather than dinner to avoid the wait.

The trdelník (chimney cakes) sold near the bridge are widely regarded by Czechs as a tourist invention with Transylvanian origins rather than a Czech tradition. The langos (fried dough with cheese and garlic) at the Havelská market in Old Town is more genuinely Czech street food.