Charles Bridge - is the oldest bridge in Prague and the world-famous architectural monument. Its foundation stone was laid in 1357 by King Charles IV. Originally called the Prague or Stone began to be called as Charles until around the 1870s.

The oldest, most beautiful, magical. These are the attributes that are associated with Prague's Charles Bridge. It was built on the site of the Romanesque Judith Bridge, which was named after the wife of King Vladislav II. The original bridge demolished in 1342 by the swollen Vltava. Some parts are still visible today, for example Romanesque relief indoors smaller Lesser Town Bridge Tower.

The foundation stone of a new stone bridge laid by Charles IV. On July 9, 1357 in 5 hours and 31 minutes. The date and exact time (conjunction of the Sun and Saturn) calculated the court astrologer. It is interesting that the numbers recorded in a row and transferred into graphic form, appears as a pyramid with nine on top. Construction of the bridge took smelter builder Peter Parler, who was its completion, as well as King, forthcoming. The building was fully completed until 1402.

The bridge supports sixteen arcs, length is 515.76 m, its greatest width is 9.5 meters. Today it is decorated with thirty-one sculptures. In the past, the bridge was heavily damaged several times, suffered floods and military conflicts. To one of the heaviest damage occurred in 1890, when a massive N�plava tore down two wooden pillars and three arches.

Charles Bridge connects the Old Town with Mala Strana.
From 1883 through it ferried passengers horse track, it was replaced in 1905 by electric railway. To contact line is disturbed look historically attractive place, ingenious Czech inventor in the field of electrical Frantisek Krizik lower power electric cars. After three years, however, the tram service was canceled because the bridge running over a relatively heavy car suffered. Shortly work even bus service, but it was in 1909 for the same reasons also canceled. Buses on the bridge back in 1932, since 1965, serving the Charles Bridge for pedestrians only.

Old Town Bridge Tower hotels Old Town Bridge Tower is one of the most beautiful buildings Czech, but also European High Gothic, while it is excellent example combines function with aesthetic top approach. The tower is famous for the unique, very realistically conceived, sculptures, among which is dominated by sculptures initiators construction of the tower. The construction was started simultaneously with the construction of the bridge, Thus, in 1357, and was probably completed around 1380. The building carried out according to the designs of Peter Parler his works, working at the time except Bridge to a number of other buildings in Prague. The tower was over centuries much damage (eg 1648 or 1848) and so on Between 1874 - 1878 the architect Josef Mocker performed its overall restaurant. Then also got its present roof and in 1877 the painter Petr Maixner restored and painted round in the passage of the original gates Gothic painting. The tower has the shape of a double-decker prism with battlements and high tent, covered with slate, roof. On the south side is a prism extension with staircase and a private roof through which the entrance to the floors of the tower, and ending in a grotesque figure jailer from the mid-15th century. Ground towers that form throughout the breadth of the gate with Gothic arches and vaults specifically network pattern in transit, on the eastern side, towards K��ovnick�mu Square Veraikon frescoed with angels image barbers, emblems kingfisher in a wreath and above the arc strip character of Czech lands and Towns of Prague. Views kingfisher find the tower several times. It was the emblem of the guild Prague barbers and spa professionals, one of which, Zuzana, according to legend enjoyed great favor of King Wenceslas IV. (1378 - 1419), who helped to escape unnoticed from the Vltava bath and so he back freedom they lost when, due to rebellion Czech nobility fell into their captivity. On the first floor there are statues of builders Tower King Charles IV. (1346 - 1378) and Wenceslas IV.

In the middle, between the two figures is a statue of St. Vitus, patron of the bridge, after which both sides are signs of the Holy Roman Empire and Bohemian Kingdom. Vit over the holy flame is sign St. Wenceslas eagle. After both sides statues panovn�ik� characters Prague's Old Town and the Margraviate of Moravia. Decoration of the second floor is made up of statues of St. Adalbert and Sigismund, patrons Bohemian Kingdom. At the corners of the tower are figural consoles with figures of lovers, representing once a nun with a soldier and a second time with a student. In a similar way, was decorated in a western party, therefore, towards the bridge, but in 1648 the Swedish artillery during the attack on The Old Town this decoration so spoiled that it was necessary to remove. Today, there is a board of John the Baptist by Spinetti from the years 1650 - 1653 with the inscription celebrating the heroism of Prague burghers at siege of Swedish troops. Another plaque depicting repair bridge after the flood in 1784, is located on the side of the tower towards k�i�ovn�k�.Vnit�ek monastery tower consists of two floors, each of which has one room provided stropem.Tyto beamed rooms were, like cellars located under the pavement entrance to the tower, used in past as a debtors' prison.

In 1621, the Old Town bridge tower with horrifying ornamentation, which consisted of twelve heads of Lords, executed for his part in the uprising against the Habsburgs in 1618 - 1620. Six of them was located on the west side and six on the east tower gallery. Were removed until 1631.

Lesser Town Bridge Towers
Charles Bridge arch leads into the Lesser Town Bridge Tower which way enter the Lesser Town. The lower tower has a Roman origin and the rest fortifications left side of the city from the 2nd quarter of the 12th century and is still here Thus, before the Judith Bridge was built. In 1591, the tower was Renaissance style from this period still survive decorative shields and remnants rusticated plaster, then shape of the windows and the portal. On the east the tower is on the first floor equipped with a limestone relief, which is an example of an excellent level of Romanesque sculpture in Bohemia in the 12th century. Relief shows two people in life size. On the left is figure of a kneeling young man and right torso figure sitting on a throne. The entrance to the tower is from the hallway Nos. 56, a former customs house from 1591, in which housed the Prague office of the bridge and salt imperial authority. The interior of the tower consists of a ground floor and three floors, which are connected by a wooden staircase. Each floor has one room. In places where the staircase ends, is entrance arch to the gate through which we can move to the next tower. Gate between the towers is in the shape of two parallel cuspidate Gothic arcades and upper edge is crenellated. Areas gates are decorated with characters. Towards the bridge are signs of a lion Luxembourg, the Czech lion and eagle Moravian below them is twice the character of the Old Town. To the other, toward the Lesser is a sign of Wroclaw, Czech lion Lower Lusatia sign below them are the characters of the Old and the Lesser Town Prague. Higher bridge tower is the youngest part of the bridge construction. Was built from 1464 and its construction financed by Czech King George of Pod�brad (1458-1471). The tower has a prismatic shape, front sides decorated by niches with baldach�novit�mi roofs. There should be probably made sculptures, but it did not happen. Tower architecture builds on the Old Town Bridge Tower. Until today form was modified by Josef Mocker between 1879 -1883.

Charles Bridge was always a place to which was caught by fantasy artist all kinds of folk literature and also gave him a lot of space in their folklore and zkazk�ch. The most famous legends is that of the miraculous swords. Somewhere in the masonry walled Bruncv�k magic sword, but nobody knows where. But when once the country worst Czech, exiting supposedly holy V�clav headed Blanik Knights to help their country and then on the Charles bridge of his horse stumbles on a stone, he is refuting and below it appears Bruncv�k famous sword. Saint Wenceslas unsheathed it and exclaims: & quot; All enemies of the country Czech heads down! & quot ;. And since the peace in Bohemia and peace forever.

KAREL IV.
Charles IV. (May 14, 1316 Prague - November 29, 1378) was a eleventh Czech king (as Charles I - 1346 to 1378), the Lombard king (1355), Roman King (1346-1355) and the Emperor (1355-1378), King arel�tsk� (1365) and Count of Luxembourg (1346-1353) of the Luxembourg dynasty. Charles IV., Baptized on behalf of Vaclav, was the son of John and Elizabeth of Bohemia Luxembourg. As a child, stayed at the French royal court at his godfather, which was his uncle, French King Charles IV. Comely (1322-1328). Here he married Blanche of Valois. In Paris won extensive education: the future Emperor knew German, French, Latin and Italian (Czech relearn to return to their country of 1333). His teacher was Pierre de Rosieres (later Pope Clement VI.). Czech king Charles became his father's death Aug. 26, 1346. Prague became the seat of Charles, was founded by New Town Prague (March 8, 1348) was built a new stone bridge in Prague (1357-1400), which today bears the name Charles Bridge. Charles IV. founded June 10, 1348 Karlstejn castle to save the imperial crown jewelry. April 5, 1355 Charles was in Rome crowned Holy Roman Emperor. His official title was Latin and read as follows: Karolus Quartus divina favente Clemencia Romanorum imperator augustus semper et Boemia rex.