Charles Bridge
Charles Bridge is the oldest bridge over the Moldau river in Prague and a renowned national monument connecting the Old Town and the Lesser Town. It stands on the site of the former Juditah’s Bridge, which was destroyed by floods in 1342. Commissioned by King Charles IV, construction of the new bridge began in 1357. It was known as Prague Bridge or Stone Bridge until 1870 when it was officially renamed Charles Bridge.
Useful information for visitors
Public transport connections
Staroměstská bus stop, tram stop, metro station (green line)
Malostranské náměstí bus stop, tram stop
Opening hours and admission
Travellers can visit Charles Bridge anytime throughout the year. Admission is free. For those who are interested, an 18-minute film about the bridge is shown inside the Old Town Bridge Tower.
Interesting facts about Charles Bridge
Charles Bridge is an historic monument, well-known for its 30 statues of saints erected between 1683 and 1928. To prevent damage, the originals have been replaced with replicas. However, the original statues are now displayed in the National Museum’s Lapidárium. A tower stands on each side of the bridge: the Old Town Bridge Tower to the east and the Malostranská Bridge Tower to the west. The bridge is 515.76 metres long and 9.5 metres wide
Charles Bridge was the only connection across Moldau River until 1841 and was used by both the public transport system and automobiles. However, the load was proved too much and the public transport route across the bridge was closed after the Second World War. In 1965, vehicles were forbidden to pass. Since then, Charles Bridge has been accessible to pedestrians only.
Audio guide
Charles Bridge audio-guides are available at Malostranská station and the Old Town Bridge Tower for a fee of 100 CZK. These are available i Czech, German, English, French, and Italian
Charles Bridge Museum
More information about this sight can be found in the Charles Bridge Museum located in Křižovnické náměstí, right next to the Old Town Bridge Tower. You can learn how medieval bridge was built as well as about Prague in king Charles IV times. For information about opening hours of the museum and admission fee visit the official website of the museum.
Public toilets
The closest public toilets are located in Malostranské náměstí, the Municipal Library, and the Municipal Authority of the city of Prague (Magistrát hlavního města Prahy) which is situated close to the Staroměstská stop.
