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Karluv most
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It’s a "must" (thing to do) now whenever one walks along the Charles Bridge in Prague:
To make a wish at the St. John of Nepomuk Statue, the statue with the that gold metal plate whose carvings have been made shiny by the millions of tourists who have touched it.
But you have to touch it with your left hand!!! Then you make a wish (it supposedly gives you good luck and assures a return to the city of Prague). I heard about the LEFT HAND from Samantha Brown.
But there is a lesser more unknown place to make a wish near the statue --- it is a Five-star cross (also metal) a few feet away from the statue and not so many tourists go there.
You place your five fingers (left hand) on the five stars and then send a wish to someone – or just send it to yourself – as you look into the river. I heard that this spot where the five star is is exactly where St Jon was actually thrown off and died. Morbid...
John of Nepomuk was a priest in Prague under a suspicious King Wenceslas IV (son of Charles IV). He received the confessions of the Queen and the King wanted to know the Queen’s confessions which Nepomuk would not reveal. Priest Nepomuk was therefore executed by being thrown into the Vltava River from the bridge with “weights” (I read somewhere that something heavy was tied to him) which caused his drowning. Leave a Comment Directions: Connectiong Old Town and Lesser Town
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The cause of St. John of Nepomuck's death has been an issue of controversy in the Church since the XVIII century. A few historians mentioned two Johns of Nepomuch -- one was the father confessor of Queen Johanna and the other, Vicar-General of Prague -- both were thrown into the Vltava to drown, their deaths were ten years apart.
However, most scholars believe the XIV century records showing there was only one John and his death was caused by both aforementioned reasons.
John was born in 1340 in Nepomuck, Pilsen, Bohemia. He became Vicar-General for the Archdiocese of Prague in 1390. The discord between John and King Wenceslas IV happened after the vicar steadily refused the King’s request in divulging the Queen’s confession. As if he did not think that was enough to infuriate the King, the vicar also expressed his sentiment by publicly declared, "Only he who rules well is worthy of the name of king."
Not known as a good sport, King Wenceslas found an excellent opportunity to revenge. He ordered that another abbot would not be elected when Abbot Rarek of Kladrau passed on because the abbey church would be turned into a cathedral. Completely ignored the King’s order, the vicar confirmed Odelenus as the new abbot. When the news reached the King, all persons involved in the election were arrested.
Although his council did not handle torture well, John of Nepomuch refused to yield even when parts of his body were burned. On Mach 20, 1393, the King ordered that the vicar be chained and led through the city with a block of wood in his mouth. When the parade ended, John of Nepomuck was thrown from the Karlsbrücke into the river Vltava. He was later buried in Prague Cathedral.
In 1719, during the gathering of evidences for the beatification, the vicar’s grave was opened and his tongue was found intact.
St. John Nepomucene was canonized in 1729. His statues were erected in several locations in Prague, but the most visited one is on Charles Bridge. Leave a Comment
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Over 600 years old, Charles Bridge is the oldest bridge in the city. Thirty statues of saints line the bridge.
It seems like all roads lead to Charles Bridge...meaning all tourists seem to end up here at the same time each afternoon...making the bridge at times the place NOT to be if you have an aversion to crowds....not to mention a dream to pickpockets.
But early morning or in the evening the bridge can be a magical place to visit. We spent a couple of hours standing near the bridge one evening, waiting for the sun to set to try and take that elusive night shot of the bridge. How did we do? Leave a Comment
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The Charles Bridge, or Karluv most, was built over the Vltava River, in 1357, although there was an earlier bridge which collapsed during a flood. Considering the weight of tourists it has to bear, it's surprising this one hasn't collapsed too! Part of it did fall into the river in 1890, but the basic structure is built of solid stone.
The bridge, which is 520m long and 9m wide, was named after the Czech king, Charles IV.
At the entrance to it is the impressive Old Town Bridge Tower, which was added in 1373. The thirty statues which line the sides of the bridge were added much later, in the seventeenth century.
Even more recent additions are the vendors, artists and buskers who make their living off the thousands of tourists wending there way from the Old Town to the Castle and back. Leave a Comment Directions: Connecting the Old Town and Lesser Town. Just follow the crowds.
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Uniting the Stare Mesto or Old Town to the Castle District or Hradcany, is the CHARLES BRIDGE. There are numerous statues along the Bridge. Its cobblestoned surface gives the bridge a medieval charm.
Days and evenings you will find Venders selling paintings and Artists entertaining the crowds. Leave a Comment Directions: Connectiong Old Town and Lesser Town
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Karlov Most or Charles Bridge as it is more commonly known is a fantastic place to people watch!!
There are street sellers, artists and street musicians all lining the magnificent bridge.
Charles Bridge is a stone Gothic bridge that connects the Old Town and Mala Strana.
It was originally called the Stone bridge.
There are towers standing on each end of the bridge and these can be climbed for a view of the bridge form above.
There are statues on the bridge and touching one of these will ensure good luck and guarantee your return to Prague. It must be true as we have just returned for the second time!! Leave a Comment Directions: Connecting Old Town and Lesser Town
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On Mala Strana south side of Charles Bridge, on the pillar stands a statue of the knight with golden sward – prince Bruncvik, who, according to legend, ruled the Czech people in ancient times. The statue is artwork of Czech sculptor Ludvik Simek and it was cast in 1884. It had replaced a statue of Roland, erected in 1502 damaged by cannon fire of Swedish forces in 1648. Leave a Comment Directions: Connectiong Old Town and Lesser Town.
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The Old Town Bridge Tower marks the entrance toKARLUV MOST or CHARLES BRIDGE. The 500 meter long stone bridge is an exceptional example of medieval building technique with sixteen arches and a Sculpture Gallery. Works include 28 statues of the Saints by artists lik Braun and Brokoff.
The Bridge foundation stone was laid in 1357 by King Charles IV. Leave a Comment Directions: Connectiong Old Town and Lesser Town
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Karluv most ( Charles bridge ) spans the Vltava River and connects Stare Mesto ( old city ) with Mala Strana ( lesser town ), as one of the leading tourist attractions in Praha. Reconstruction of the old stone bridge was started in about 1330 by order of King Karluv IV, and completed 45 years later. The bridge was built wide enough to stage jousting tournaments. The pedestrains only bridge is one of Europe's medieval engineering masterpieces. It is 520 meters long and 9 meters wide. After 650 years of withstanding numerous floods and other ravages of man and nature, this magnificent bridge is still as sturdy as the day it was finished. The log structures just upstream of the bridge protect the ancient piers from the erosive forces of the water. The bridge was given the name of the ambitous and egotistical monarch who conceived it.
Thirty sculptures supported by the massive bridge piers, were crafted starting in 1683. The threatening munument shown in my photos is old hund's personal favorite, Purgatory. In this artwork Pergatory or Hell is compared to a hopelessly dreadful medieval dungeon, with its prisoners eternally bound in shackles. The sculptor whose name I do not know, was a true master. The very lifelike prisoner statues shown in photo #1 appear to be as tormented and in as much anguish as anyone I have ever seen. The sculpture was crafted as a threatening reminder of the eternal fate awaiting citizens that displayed less than complete obedience toward their ruling kings and masters. I believe that not even the terrible fate depicted by the sculpture could have been much worse than the actual misery that the medieval Bohemian peasentry were subjected to. Photo #2 is a full view of the threatening monument. The priest on the top left holds shackles in the ready position for the next hapless disobedient soul. Jackels await any prisoner who might entertain an attempted escape.
I still long for the day when medieval mentality will follow the leading role of Europe and completely vanish from the planet Earth. Leave a Comment Directions: Connectiong Old Town and Lesser Town. Virtually impossible to miss. All signs point toward it. Just follow the masses of other tourists.
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The oldest Prague bridge built in the place of the Judita's Bridge that had been badly damaged by a flood in 1342. The Stone or Prague Bridge, was founded by Charles IV in the year 1357. By the latest researches the construction was started by Master Otto and finished by Peter Parler in 1402. Both ends of the bridge are fortified by towers (the Lesser Town Bridge Towers, the Old Town Bridge Tower). From 1683 to 1928 thirty sculptures and sculptural groups of the saints were gradually set on the bridge piers. The bridge is 515 meters long and 10 meters wide. Leave a Comment Directions: Connecting Old Town and Lesser Town
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