Charles Bridge and astrological predictions. Did they come true or not? Make a wish on the Charles Bridge. Branice railway viaduct

Country - Vltava, which divides the city into two parts. Therefore, its inhabitants cannot even imagine their life without numerous bridges connecting the two banks. However, the bridges of Prague perform not only a practical function, but also decorate the city, since some of them are real works of art.

Hlavkov Bridge - a unique building of Prague bridge building

Above the island of Štvanice and the Vltava passes the Hlavkov Bridge, connecting Karlin and Holesovice. This structure was built of iron in the twentieth century. A few years later, the iron structure was replaced with concrete. It is noteworthy that such structures were not characteristic of the bridge building of Prague until that time. The crossing got its name in honor of the great architect and philanthropist of the Czech Republic - Joseph Hlavka. An interesting fact is that this bridge has never been renamed, unlike many others that Prague has on its territory. The Black Bridge, for example, was originally called the Prague Bridge, today it bears the name of Charles V, and the Legia Bridge is the name of I.

It should be noted that the construction of the Glavkov Bridge was due to the urgent need to connect these two parts of the city. This was due to the construction of a central slaughterhouse in Holesovice and a power plant on the island of Shtvanice. The bridge was built in two stages. In 1900, a wooden structure was built, and 10 years later, a railway bridge, which was later connected to a concrete one. Those appearance and the construction that guests and residents of Prague have the opportunity to observe today, Glavkov Bridge acquired in 1962. WITH south side the building is decorated with relief images of L. Kofrank and B. Kafka, and from the north - sculptures by J. Stursa.

history and legend

The Charles Bridge in Prague deserves special attention. Photos of this design today can be found on the Internet in a huge number, but none of them can convey it. true beauty and greatness. This crossing over 500 m long connects Old city and Malaya Strana. It was built back in the 14th century and to this day is not only one of the opportunities to move to the other side of the Vltava, but also one of the most famous sights of the Czech capital.

Prague - this is what today's Charles Bridge was originally called in connection with the construction of this bridge, claims that the structure owes its durability to the fact that the architect required the addition of raw eggs to the mortar used for its construction. And since there were not enough eggs for this in Prague, King Karl ordered this product to be brought from all over the Czech Republic. There is also a legend about a merman who lives under the fourth arch of the bridge and rejoices at the large number of collected souls.

Whatever it was in reality, but it is impossible to refute the fact that one of the strongest and most beautiful buildings The Czech capital is the Charles Bridge in Prague. Photos that can be found on the Internet represent it in all its beauty. The design is decorated with 30 statues and three towers, which were originally assigned the role. Today, residents and guests of Prague have the opportunity to simply climb the tower from the Old Town and admire the beauty of the sculpture and Gothic art. To do this, they will have to overcome 138 steps.

Irasekov bridge

It took 5 years to build the Irasekov Bridge - from 1923 to 1925. His goal was to unload the already existing bridges from the ever-growing flow of traffic. The design was developed by the architects F. Menkl and W. Hofmann, who successfully combined high load capacity, elegant appearance and functionality in this design. Reinforced concrete was used for the construction.

The Irasekov Bridge has a length of 21 m, a width of 310.6 m, a span height of 14.5 m and connects the working suburb of Prague with Noviy Mesto. All bridges in Prague have their own name history. So, this design was named after Alois Irasek, who is famous for writing the book "Old Czech Legends", which has become a kind of poetic hymn to the people of this state.

Manesov bridge - a favorite place for tourists

Manesov Bridge is another construction that cannot be ignored when considering the bridges of Prague. Photos of this building, of course, can be found in various sources, but visiting it is completely different, because it opens great view to the capital of the Czech Republic.

The construction of this crossing was completed in 1916. The project for the Manesov Bridge was developed by such famous Czech architects as Vlastimil Hoffman and Pavel Janak. Previously, Klarow and Staroe Mesto were connected by an iron suspension bridge for pedestrians. And it was here before ferry crossing To fishing village. Initially, the bridge was built exclusively for the movement of vehicles, but over time, it became necessary for pedestrians to move along it, for which paths were equipped in the middle of the 20th century. The building owes its name to the famous 19th-century artist Joseph Manes.

Nuselsky bridge - the youngest bridge in the capital of the Czech Republic

The Nuselsky Bridge differs from other bridges in the Czech capital primarily by its huge size - 26 meters wide, on which there is a six-lane road and sidewalks on both sides, and 500 meters long. Thousands of vehicles pass through the bridge every day, and inside it is a subway tunnel.

This bridge was built between 1968 and 1973. So, this crossing is the youngest and highest in Prague. It has a height of 43 meters. The bridge was built to connect Novy Mesto and Pankats. It is worth noting that it does not cross the Vltava River, like many other bridges in Prague, but simply passes over the Nuselska Valley, from which it got its name. True, initially it bore the name of Kliment Gottwald, who was the first president of Czechoslovakia. The crossing is popularly called the bridge of suicides. This is due to the fact that many people took their own lives by jumping off the Nusel Bridge.

Legia Bridge

Considering the bridges of Prague, it is also worth mentioning the Legia Bridge - the first crossing of the capital of the Czech Republic, built on the site of the existing chain suspension. It connects the Legia Bridge National Avenue with Malaya Strana and passes over Streletsky Island. The plan of this structure was developed by engineer Jiří Soukup and architect Antonín Balšank. The bridge has a length of 343 m and a width of 16. Its prototype is the Pont d'Alma bridge in Paris.

It is impossible to visit Prague and ignore its magnificent bridges, however, which of them should be preferred, everyone decides for himself.

Vltava divides Prague into two parts. If you look at the map, you will see that the river runs right in the middle of the Czech capital. Now several magnificent bridges have been thrown across the river, decorating both the city and the river itself. Curious is the fact that most of the bridges currently existing in Prague were built literally in the last 150 years. Prior to this, the city managed only one, the most ancient -.

The first bridge built in this city was located exactly where Charles Bridge is now located. It was built in the first half of the 10th century from wood. The body of the late Wenceslas from Stara Boleslava was transported to the Castle over this bridge. For several decades, the bridge faithfully served the city, however, the flood of 1157 destroyed it to the ground, and Vladislav II, who ruled at that time, was forced to build new bridge. Thus, soon the Vltava was crossed by the Yuditin bridge, which was located a little to the north. The building got its name in honor of Queen Judith, who oversaw the construction process. In those years, this bridge was considered the only technical structure of such a significant scale in Europe.

The Judith Bridge existed for almost 200 years, until another flood hit Prague. After the flood of 1342, the bridge was almost completely destroyed. The remains of the pillars of this Romanesque structure are the only thing that reminded of the once powerful structure.

A few years later, in 1357, the construction of the bridge began, which still stands today -. The half-kilometer structure stands on sixteen pylons connected by arched vaults, while the Yuditin Bridge was supported by as many as 24 pillars. Apparently, that's why he suffered, because he obstructed the flow of the river too much.

The bridge, erected by decree of Charles IV, attracted the attention of engineers and architects throughout Europe from the moment it was built. The longest bridge in Europe - Dresden - has long been considered the most spectacular. Prague has always been known as the most durable. The impressive (at that time) width of the bridge, which was almost 10 meters, made it possible to hold tournaments on it, which was actively used by the organizers of such events. As an example, we can mention the tournament of 1436, held here in honor of King Sigmund.

The direct creator of this building was Peter Parlezh. The Baroque period gave the bridge three dozen statues and several groups of saints. A number of these architectural embellishments became the longest gallery of its kind in the world. Many sculptors of this era contributed to the process of creating these masterpieces of architectural art. In addition to other architects and sculptors of that time, the masters of the Brokoff family, as well as Jan Bedrich Kol and Matthias Braun, took the most active part in the creation of the elements of this one. Of all the sculptures, the sculptural group of St. Luittard, the author of which is the same Matthias Braun. It is worth noting that this work glorified the master.

Many floods fell on the Charles Bridge, but to this day it stands firmly on the Vltava. Stronger than all the others was the flood of 1890, which raged so much that not all the sculptures that adorned the building remained in their places. The bridge successfully survived many severe trials, including numerous wars and floods. It became a real battlefield in 1848, during the revolution, and before that, in 1648, the battle of the inhabitants of the Old Town with the Swedish troops took place here. The bridge witnessed the flight of Frederick the Palatinate, who was defeated in the Battle of Belogorsk. All the rulers who ruled the Czech Republic after Charles IV were crowned here, on this bridge. The bridge received its current name relatively recently, in 1870. Prior to that, he was known as "stone", or "Prague".

Charles Bridge for about five centuries was the only link between the banks of Prague. The idea of ​​building another bridge across the Vltava was born only at the beginning of the century before last. The bridge itself appeared in 1842, having received the name Schnierchow. This Empire chain building connects the shores of the Czech capital in the place where this moment located . This building stood until 1901, and then it was replaced by a more modern design, which is now called Lehi's bridge.

As the network develops railways, it became necessary to connect the left bank of Prague with the right bank by means of the construction of an appropriate structure, as a result of which a bridge appeared, through which trains got from to Smichov. This building is successfully functioning in our time. The year of his birth is considered to be 1878, and it is called - which, among all the stone structures of Prague, is in second place after Karlov. Not far from the island of Štvanice, another railway bridge was built. At the same time, the Franz I chain bridge stood on the site of the current one.

It is unthinkable, but the people of Prague in modern times quite successfully managed with such a small number of bridges. The river itself had a completely different look: when there were few bridges, one could see the silvery expanse of the Vltava, stretching for many kilometers. Now bridges break the river into many small segments, which completely changes the appearance of the reservoir. Nowadays, a completely different landscape appears before the eyes of citizens and visitors of the city: a number of bridges, lined up in order, look charming in their own way and give the capital of the Czech Republic a unique flavor of a big city.

Each of these structures deserves a separate mention, so we will consider them in more detail. As already mentioned, Palacky Bridge stands in second place among the stone structures after the Charles Bridge. This magnificent building was once decorated with sculptural groups, the author of which was I.V. Thoughtbeck. They had to be removed after the attack by American aircraft, which took place on February 14, 1945. From the side of the New Place, a statue of Libusz with Přemysl was installed, and not far from them stood the legendary singer of that time - Lumir. On the other side of the bridge one could see Zaba with Slava and Tstirada with Sharka. Sculptures that were severely damaged during this raid were moved to more safe place in Vysehrad.

The first bridge structure built in the last century is called (Jiráskův most). Width, which greatly simplified transport problems Praguers. The bridge was built in 1928, and it is named after the writer Alois Jirasek, who was the author of many historical novels. He worked and lived near the place where the bridge now stands. On the side of Novy Mesto, a monument to the writer is erected on the bridge, and next to it is an apartment building with a memorial plaque on it.

Moving further down the river, we will meet May Day Bridge ( , Legionnaires' Bridge), and behind it the Charles Bridge. However, we have already spoken about these structures above. Next in line - (Manesuv most), which was first commissioned in 1916. Its construction began in 1911, however, in subsequent years, during the First World War, it was not possible to complete the construction. This concrete bridge was built near Red Army Square.

The next building we will mention is the former Svatopluk Cech Bridge (), which is the shortest of all. Its length is only 170 meters, and it serves as a connecting link between and the Legen coast.

This building is followed by Štefánikův most, ferrying transport to the Legen tunnel. This concrete structure, where a chain bridge once stood, has been in use since 1951.

A little further down the river is located, consisting of two separate parts. The first of them was built of metal and put into operation in 1910, the second part was built of concrete, and the first transport passed through it two years later, in 1912. This second structure was the first concrete bridge in the city. Such well-known masters as Marzhatka, Stursa and Gutfreind were invited to decorate the building. Glavkov Bridge can be divided into two parts, since it passes through the most big Island in Prague - Štvanice.

A separate topic for discussion will be one of the longest bridge structures in Prague -. Its length is 341 meters, and it is twice as wide as the Charles Bridge. The distance from the left side to the right side is 21 meters. This bridge connected Liben and Holesovice. The structure was built of concrete in 1982.

Construction was completed almost at the same time. Barricade Defenders Bridge (Most Barikádníků)- the last building in the chain of Prague bridges. This bridge helps to get from the center of Prague to. Historically, information says that this place was the stronghold of the Prague Uprising.

Having visited Prague, and having risen to Letna, the tourist will discover a marvelous view of the city, with its magnificent towers, gates and bridges. And here and there, the Vltava is crossed by many bridge structures that create a kind of cascade. Among them is the legendary Charles Bridge, which today is not the only one of its kind, but remains a unique monument on a global scale. The idea of ​​building a bridge across the Nusel Valley arose several decades ago, but since the city did not feel an urgent need for this, this project continued to hang in the air. However, as always happens, anything becomes possible as soon as there is a need for it, and when the time came, another bridge was built from the Pankratska Valley to Novy Mesto, . This happened in the 1960s, as tens of thousands of people Southern city could not otherwise quickly get to the center of Prague. Among other things, there was also a need to build a North-South highway, which could only be laid in this place. In length, this bridge structure stretches for 490 meters, and a metro line has been laid under its foundations. Cars and other vehicles pass over the bridge, standing over the “bowl” of the Nusel Valley, at a height of 40 meters. It is supported by four capital pylons. It is worth noting that the main problem in the design and construction of this structure was overcoming the difficulties of the relief in this place, and not at all the fight against the reservoir.

Highway overpass connecting Vysočany with northern city, is in many ways similar to the bridge over the Nuselskaya valley. Another bridge will soon be built in Prague, which will become part of the North-South highway. This structure will pass over the Prague-Strsed railway station. To some extent, we can assume that it will become a continuation of the Glavkov Bridge.

Prague's bridge structures deserve respect not only for their excellent technical parameters. Bridges differ from each other both in the material taken as a basis in construction and in architectural design. Each of them is beautiful and majestic in its own way. Driving along the bridges of the Czech capital in turn, you will discover more and more new landscapes and panoramas, which you can enjoy endlessly. The city will appear before you more than once in unusual angle and this will help you understand it better. You should definitely take a look at the Prague bridges from above, because from above everything is perceived in a completely different way.

Yuditin bridge

The first stone bridge across the Vltava was Yuditin bridge which has been in operation since 1172. In 1342, it collapsed due to the sharp melting of snow and ice (at first, huge ice floes clogged the space between the support piers, and then new ice floes created too much pressure on them). It was decided to build a new bridge 20-30 meters upstream.

History of the Charles Bridge

Each order next to its part of the bridge received large plots of land for the construction of monastic complexes. The first built a whole area, the center of which was the modern Maltese and Velkoprzhevorskaya squares, and the second built up a quarter around the Crusader Square.

Since the end of the 19th century, the line of the first public transport, known today as konka. Then it was replaced by a tram with a lower current collection, but after a couple of years the city authorities changed their minds and stopped checking the bridge for strength. It should be noted that until 1870 it was called Prague bridge, and was renamed only in the wake of the national revival of the XIX century.

Towers of Charles Bridge

old town tower

Old Town Bridge Tower (Staroměstská mostecká věž) - the eastern tower of the Charles Bridge; is a symbolic gateway to Stare Mesto. It began to be built simultaneously with the bridge under the leadership of Petr Parlerge, and completed in 1380. The Old Town Tower is considered the most beautiful medieval tower in Europe (surviving). And this despite the fact that in 1648 the sculptural decorations on the eastern side of the tower were destroyed by Swedish artillery shelling, when the bridge, as the only crossing to the right bank of the Vltava, became the site of a fierce battle.

In the Middle Ages, the roof of the Old Town Tower was covered with gilded sheets. The most important elements of sculptural compositions were also gold. Nowadays, the facade of the tower is decorated with the coat of arms of the Stare Mesto district, above which there is a horizontal row of coats of arms of the lands of the Czech kingdom during the reign of Charles IV. Above them rise the statues of the kings under which the Charles Bridge was built - Charles IV and Wenceslas IV. Between them (on a slight rise) is a statue of St. Vitus, the spiritual patron of the bridge. At the level of the third tier of the tower there are sculptures of the patrons of the Czech land - saints Vojtech and Sigismund. In addition, on the facade of the tower (in four different places) you can see the bas-reliefs of the kingfisher bird, the symbol of Wenceslas IV.

At the beginning of the 17th century, 12 severed heads of the leaders of the Revolt of the Estates, who were executed on the Old Town Square, hung on the Old Town Bridge Tower for ten years. Nowadays, the tower operates observation platform and a small historical gallery. Next to the tower is the Charles Bridge Museum.

Lesser Town Tower

Lesser Town Bridge Tower (Malostranská mostecká věž) is the high western tower of the Charles Bridge. Of all three towers it was built last - in the middle of the 15th century during the reign of King Jiří of Poděbrady. In the very first house from the tower (Mostetskaya st., 1) there is Klub Za starou Prahu - a civil association that has been active in the protection of monuments in Prague since 1900.

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Yuditina Tower

Juditina tower (Juditina věž) - the smallest, but at the same time the most old tower(dated to the 12th century). It was built back in the time of the first in the Romanesque style, and in 1591 it was rebuilt in the likeness of the other two towers. In the city chronicle, a record of a tragic incident connected with the Judith Tower has been preserved. It is reported that in 1250 a broken piece of stone fell on the head of a knight named Pertolt. The unfortunate one, fully armored, but having removed his helmet, fell dead.

The Lesser Town Bridge Tower and the Judith Tower are connected by a gate, which depicts the coats of arms of Prague's Mala Strana and Stare Mesto districts, as well as the Bohemia region.

The sculptures of Charles Bridge were created with a deep ideological and political meaning. The Austrian Habsburg dynasty, ruling at that time Bohemia and Moravia (the main regions of the modern Czech Republic), with the help of Catholicism, tried to eradicate dangerous Hussite views from the Czechs, leading to the manifestation of national identity and the desire for independence. Therefore, all individuals on the Charles Bridge are ideological missionaries and distributors of the Catholic faith. There are no real defenders of Czech interests among them. Not even kings Charles IV and Wenceslas IV, during whose reign the construction of the structure was carried out, as they pursued a policy aimed at creating a strong national state.

Francis is depicted in the clothes of a priest. To the left of it is an angel with the image of the Holy Gifts, to the right - an angel holding the image of the Virgin Mary.

Details sculptural composition: Lyudmila holds a handkerchief in her left hand, with which, according to legend, she was strangled, and with her right hand she points to the Bible, from which she teaches young Vaclav to read. The relief on the pedestal depicts the scene of the assassination of Prince Wenceslas.

Details of the sculptural composition: the bronze plates on the pedestal depict scenes of the queen's confession and the execution of John of Nepomuk. There is a belief that if you rub them, a wish will come true.

Anthony of Padua (1195–1231) - famous preacher of the Franciscan Order.

Details of the sculptural composition: Anthony is depicted with little Jesus. In his right hand he holds a lily, which emphasizes his holiness. On the sides are two vases depicting scenes from the life of Anthony of Padua.

Francis of Assisi (1182–1226) - patron saint of environmentalists and founder of the mendicant Franciscan Order. It was he who deepened the idea of ​​poverty for the monks and turned it from a negative sign of renunciation of the world into a positive life ideal, which stemmed from the idea of ​​following the example of poor Christ. He also transformed the very idea of ​​monasticism, replacing the hermit monk with an apostle missionary who, having renounced the world inwardly, remains in the world to call people to peace and repentance. Francis set a personal example of such behavior, becoming a barefoot beggar, and "in the clothes of a shepherd" preached the need for love and humility. It should be noted that he came from a wealthy merchant family, and in his youth he was known as "the king of all revels and fun."

Details of the sculptural composition: Francis of Assisi is depicted with two angels. On the pedestal is the inscription "Saint Francis of Assisi for miraculous salvation Emperor Franz Joseph in 1853 "(a Hungarian revolutionary stabbed the monarch in the neck, from which he was saved by the golden collar of the uniform).

Judas Thaddeus - an apostle, preached in Palestine, Arabia, Syria and Mesopotamia. He died a martyr's death in Armenia. Protector of people in hopeless cases.

Details of the sculptural composition: the saint is depicted with a gospel and a club. On the pedestal is the inscription: "To the devoted friend of Christ."

Vincent Ferrer (1350–1419) – Spanish philosopher, theologian and preacher He came from a noble noble family, but voluntarily accepted the harsh life of an ascetic (he kept a strict fast all year round, slept on bare ground, and moved only on foot). Vincent devoted himself to missionary work and abandoned the cardinal rank;

Procopius of Sazava (970–1053) – Czech monk and missionary He founded the Sazava monastery, which was the center Slavic culture And last place in the Czech Republic, where the service was held in Church Slavonic. Procopius also led the life of an ascetic (he personally cut down the forest and cultivated the land). According to legend, once locals they saw a saint plowing a field on a devil harnessed to a plow, whom he drove with a cross.

Details of the sculptural composition: St. Vincent, in Dominican attire, with one hand casts out the devil from a kneeling man, and with the other, he resurrects from the dead lying in the grave. Saint Prokop holds a rod over the pacified Satan, stepping on it with his foot, which symbolizes the victory of faith, truth and goodness over the forces of evil. There are several inscriptions on the monument: “8,000 infidels to the Catholic faith”, “70 devils to pacify” and “2,500 Jews to Christ.”

Bruncvik is a hero of Czech legends and tales, who wanted to get the right to place a lion on his coat of arms (a symbol of valor and courage). To do this, he embarked on a series of adventures and exploits. Knight Bruncvik is a fictional character and symbolizes one of the kings of the Přemyslid family, who changed the black eagle to a silver lion on the coat of arms of Bohemia in 1172.

Details of the sculptural composition: Knight Bruncvik is depicted with a sword and shield, which depicts the coat of arms of the Stare Mesto district. At his feet sits a lion. The monument is located behind the sculptural group of Saints Vincent and Prokop (No. 20), so to see it, you need to look down from the bridge.

Augustine Aurelius (354–430) – philosopher, preacher and theologian It is he who owns the interesting phrase “Good God, give me chastity and moderation ... but not now, oh God, not yet!”

Details of the sculptural composition: the saint is depicted in episcopal attire. Under his right foot he has a heretical book (a sign of contempt for the Protestants), and in his right hand is a burning heart (a sign of love for the Lord). At the left leg of Augustine is a figurine of an angel.

Nicholas of Tolentinsky (XIII century) - missionary and monk of the Order of Augustine Aurelius. Before his death, his last words were: "My conscience does not reproach me for anything, but this does not mean that I am a righteous man."

Details of the sculptural group: the saint is depicted in a monk's cassock with an angel who prepared a basket of bread for the poor.

Luitgarda is a blind nun who regained her sight after kissing the wounds of Christ in a dream.

Cajetan of Tien (1480–1547) - defender against epidemics and founder of the Order of Theatines, which became the first order of a new type. Upon joining, the priests gave traditional monastic vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, but did not leave the world, but continued to perform the duties of parish priests. Such monks are called regular clerics. The new order fought heresy, but with humane methods (as opposed to the common medieval practice of using violent measures).

Details of the sculptural composition: the saint holds in his hands the open Gospel of Matthew with the word of God. Behind it is a plague column, symbolizing the Holy Trinity with the image of clouds and angels.

Philip Benicius (1233–1285) – one of the founders of the Order of the Servites

Details of the sculptural composition: the saint is dressed in the traditional white robe of members of the order. In his hands he holds a cross, a symbolic branch (or lily) and a book. A tiara (papal crown) is laid at his feet, since in 1268 he had the opportunity to become Pope.

Vojtech (X century) - the second Czech bishop, was killed during missionary work in Polabian Prussia. In the 11th century, the saint was considered the second patron saint of the Czech land after Saint Wenceslas and the main patron saint of Poland.

Details of the sculptural composition: Vojtech is depicted in archbishop's robes with the Gospel in his left hand.

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Vitus (290–303) - patron of the Czech lands. Reliable historical evidence of the life and martyrdom of the saint has not been preserved. According to legend, the 13-year-old youth went to Rome, where he cast out demons either from the son of Emperor Diocletian, or from the emperor himself. After that, Wit refused to pray to the Roman gods. He was arrested and for refusing to recognize the Roman religion they threw him to the hungry lions, but they did not touch Vitus. Then he was thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil.

Details of the sculptural composition: the saint is depicted in the attire of a Roman citizen, but with a medieval headdress. The pedestal is made in the form of a rock with a cave from which hungry lions climb out.

The young priest Jean de Mata (1150–1213) saw a vision during the first mass, which he interpreted as a sign that he should devote his life to saving Christian captives from Muslim imprisonment. His idea was supported by Count Felix de Valois (1127–1212). Together they founded the Trinitarian Order dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The motto of the monks was: "Glory to you, Trinity, and freedom to the captives." Trinitarians collected funds for the ransom of Christian captives through donations and alms.

John of Czech (IX century) - a righteous man and the first Czech hermit (hermit). The causal relationship with Saints Felix and John is unknown.

Details of the sculptural composition: a Turk with a dog guards Christian prisoners sitting behind bars and crying out for salvation. Felix de Valois holds out his hand to the prisoner, Jean de Mata holds the shackles, and Saint John silently watches them.

Cosmas and Damian of Arabia (III or IV century) - brothers, healers and miracle workers. It is believed that the Lord gave them the art of healing. From the sick they treated, the brothers never took payment, keeping the commandment of Jesus Christ, "freely you have received, freely give."

Details of the sculptural composition: two brother healers and the Savior as "the chief healer of the world" are depicted. Behind his figure rises a cross with the inscription: "In this cross is our salvation." By right hand St. Cosmas is located from it (the inscription on the pedestal: “Hippocrates among the saints”), and to the left is St. Damian (the inscription on the pedestal: “To the praying brother, Galen of heaven”).

Saint Wenceslas (907–936) - prince, ruler of Bohemia and Moravia, who converted to Christianity.

Details of the sculptural composition: the inscription reads "In memory of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Society for Blind Children, held in Prague on October 4, 1857." It was the Prague Society of the Blind who financed the creation of the statue.

It is not easy to count all the bridges and river crossings in Prague. It is generally accepted that there are eighteen bridges. Ten of them are thrown across the Vltava, the rest - through its tributaries. Each of which has a unique appearance, has its own interesting story construction, and some even legend. There are individual masterpieces of architecture here, but there are also ordinary, unremarkable bridges. Here we describe the most famous of them.

The oldest and most famous bridge in Prague. This is a real symbol of Prague, its business card and at the same time a link between the Old City and Small Country. The construction of the bridge began in the second half of the 14th century, with the laying of the first stone by Charlemagne in 1357, on July 9 at 5:31. This date, which is a pyramid with the number "9" at the top, is 1.3.5.7.9.7.5.3.1. - was considered the most favorable for any undertaking, and now, after so much time, it has become so attractive for tourists.

Modern legend has it that the Dalai Lama, walking over the bridge in 1990, said that the bridge was at the center of the universe and there was no negative energy around it. Perhaps that is why there are always so many people here. Only on cold winter evenings do photographers manage to photograph it without people.

The entrance to the bridge is “guarded” by two Malostransk bridge towers, which used to be part of the Prague defensive complex.

The second oldest automobile bridge, the Palacký Bridge, was completed in 1878. It is named after František Palacký, an outstanding leader of the Czech people's movement, author of the book The History of the Czech People.

The Barrandovsky Road Bridge was built in 1983 and is part of a multi-lane ring road that runs through almost all of Prague. It is also located here pedestrian bridge, which connects two districts, disparate highways.

Built in 1933. It starts from the square of Alois Jirasek (famous Czech writer) - perhaps one of the most beautiful in Prague; It is on this square that the so-called Dancing House stands.

5. Bridge of Legionnaires (Bridge of Legia)

Completed in 1901, it replaced the Franz I iron cable-stayed (“chain”) bridge that used to be here. bridge). This former bridge was demolished in 1888. The new one - the Legia Bridge - is named after the Czech legionnaires of the 1st World War,

Another name for this bridge is the “Bicycle Race Bridge of Peace”, since since 1948 the international multi-day bicycle race has started from here. The bridge has a unique architectural image, and its only huge arch is still perceived as the main gate to Prague. It connects the main Train Station Prague with the historical part of the city, Zbraslav district.

7. Branice railway viaduct

Built in 1952-55. It is crossed by two highways and two railway tracks.

8. Manes bridge

The concrete bridge was completed in 1914. Previously, it was in this place that there was a ferry across the Vltava. Named after another "father" - this time of Czech painting, Josef Manes.

The shortest Prague bridge across the Vltava, its length is 169 meters. This is the only Prague arch bridge.

Built in 1951 on the site of the former Emperor Franz Josef I Bridge.

The only one in Prague that has never been renamed. It was built in two stages: first, in 1910, from the right bank of the Vltava to the island of Shtvanice; this part of the bridge was steel.

12. Karlinsky Viaduct

It is also called the Negrelli Viaduct. Built in 1850, in Europe it is considered the most beautiful example of a railway structure. The record holder both in the number of arches (85) and in length: almost a kilometer and a quarter.

On the site of the Libensky bridge (1928) there used to be another one, unique in its own way: wooden, 449 meters long. The length of the current one is 780
meters, and, in addition to the river, this bridge also stretches over the Holeshovitskaya pier.

A railway bridge built on double slanting supports. It was built in 1976, and crosses the Vltava at an angle of 45 degrees.

It was completed in 1928, and in 1977 it was rebuilt almost beyond recognition, as the former one quickly became decrepit and became unsafe, and the 16-meter width no longer met transport requirements. This is the last automobile Prague bridge along the Vltava: further - only a steel tram, and - a hanging crossing for cyclists and pedestrians to the Troja Castle.

16. The highest bridge - Nuselsky

This is one of the most interesting modern Prague bridge buildings. Built in 1965-1973, it has a length of 485 m and a height of about 40 m. The bridge is thrown across the Nuselska Valley, it connects two Prague hills, and looks like a bridge over a gorge. This is a metro bridge (cars are on top, inside, in the tunnel are metro trains), but due to the special design, the metro tunnel is not noticeable at all.

Bridges and the Vltava... The silver thread of the river, winding through the valley, crosses Prague in the middle, and bridges are thrown over it, along which roads pass, bridges, like intricate buckles made of the most unusual materials. And at the same time - no matter how incredible it may seem - the city for a thousand years managed with one bridge. We know that on the site of the oldest Prague bridge - Charles - already in the 30s of the X century stood wooden bridge and the body of St. Wenceslas from Stara Boleslava was carried along it to the Grad. This, in all likelihood, a wooden structure was destroyed by a flood in 1157, and Vladislav II had no choice but to build a new bridge across the river; in honor of Queen Judith, who oversaw the work, he was named Yuditin. The bridge was located approximately in the same place where the Charles Bridge now stands, only a little to the north, and for its time it was the only one of its kind. technical facility across Europe.

The Judith Bridge, however, was also not eternal: in 1342, a flood demolished 2/3 of this capital Romanesque building, and after some time only the remnants of supports in the river remained from the bridge.

Charles Bridge, which rose on this site, reached 520 meters in length and 10 meters in width and rested on sixteen arches of limestone blocks, while the Yuditin Bridge was mounted on 24 supports and, obviously, had more resistance to water, and as a result she overcame him.

Charles Bridge, whose construction began in 1357, was already being compared with similar structures in Europe at that time. Usually they said: the Dresden bridge is the most spectacular, the longest, and the Prague bridge is the most durable. The bridge was so wide in those days that it was even possible to hold (and were!) Tournaments on it. For example, in 1436 in honor of King Zikmund. However, we are interested in the name of its creator - he was none other than Peter Parler. In the Baroque era (1683-1714) thirty more statues and groups of saints adorned the bridge, so that they formed, perhaps, the longest gallery of its kind for that time. Such a famous sculptor as Matthias Braun, masters of the Brokoff family, Jan Bedrich Kohl and other baroque sculptors participated in the creation of these masterpieces. The most artistically valuable Baroque sculptural group of St. Luittard, by M. B. Brown (this is the first notable work masters).

Like all of its predecessors, Charles Bridge suffered from floods on numerous occasions; while the biggest test, no doubt, was 1890, when even some sculptures were damaged. And yet the bridge withstood all the tests, endured all the floods, all the horrors of wars, withstood. He witnessed the Hussite wars, the flight of Frederick of the Palatinate after the defeat in the Battle of Belogorsk. In 1648, it became the site of battles between the Swedish troops and the inhabitants of Stary Mesto and students, led by Jiřík Plachy. The fighting unfolded here in the revolutionary year of 1848. Coronation processions have been held here since Charles IV. The bridge was called "Prague" or "Stone" for a long time. The epithet "Karlov" this building received, in fact, quite "recently", only in 1870.

It is very interesting that this one and only bridge was enough for Prague from the era of Charles and almost until the middle of the last century. Both banks of the silvery river were connected, however, by countless ferries. It was only in the 20s of the last century that the idea was born to build another bridge that would connect that section of the coast where the National Theater, with the opposite side. And in 1842, a chain Empire bridge was built on this site - Schnirchov; only in 1901 it was replaced by a new, more modern building- this is the current May 1st Bridge.

The development of railways led to the fact that Vysehrad was connected to Smichov by a railway bridge, which has survived to this day. Year of birth - 1871. Soon after that, in 1878, the Palacký bridge also crossed the Vltava - the second after the stone structure of this type in Prague. And on the site of the modern Shverma bridge under the former monastery of St. Anežka was erected the fourth bridge - the chain bridge of Franz I. And finally, another railway bridge crossed the Vltava near the island of Shtvanice - its construction coincided with the development of railways in the last century.

It seems incredible that even in modern times Prague managed with so few links between the two banks of the Vltava. However, the Vltava itself probably had a completely different view than the one that opens up to us today - the distance between the individual few bridge structures was so great that the vast expanse of the Vltava turned out to be in the foreground. All this has changed in our century - new bridges have broken the river into much smaller sections, and thus a different landscape full of charm was born: the bridges lined up one after the other, as if forming backstage, and gave Prague a peculiar flavor of a big city.

Let's look at a number of these concrete, stone and metal structures, starting with the railway bridge at Vysehrad. We have already spoken about the Palacký bridge, the second stone bridge after Charles. It is also worth mentioning the tragic episode at the end of the Second World War, which left its mark on this building, changing its appearance. Then there were still four sculptural groups, the magnificent creations of the sculptor I. V. Myslbek. On the New Town coast, these were Libuse with Přemysl and the legendary singer Lumir; on the Smikhovsky coast - Tstirad with Sharka and Zaba with Slava. Plaque American aircraft February 14, 1945 did not pass without a trace for this building. Seriously damaged sculptures had to be removed immediately after the end of the war and moved to a more quiet place at Vysehrad.

And now we have already come to the first bridge created in our century - this is the Irasekov bridge; its width could already satisfy the ever-increasing demands of Prague transport. The bridge was built in 1928 and got its name in honor of the writer, author of historical novels Alois Irasek, primarily because Irasek lived and worked near the place where the bridge now stands for 27 years (from 1903 to 1930). A monument to Irasek and an old tenement house with a memorial plaque were erected on the Novy Mestsky bank right opposite the bridge.

We have already mentioned the May 1st Bridge, and we have already presented the Charles Bridge, so we will go further along the banks of the Vltava, to the Red Army Square with the Rudolfinum and the building of the Faculty of Philosophy. Here, the concrete Manesov Bridge leads to Karlov, the construction of which began in 1911 and was completed already during the First World War, in 1916.

Next comes the shortest of the Prague bridges, which connects the Old Town Square and the Legensky shore; its length is only 170 meters, it bears the name of Svatopluk Cech. Immediately behind him, the next one rises above the river, the Shverma bridge, which goes to the Legen tunnel. Once there was a chain bridge, which was later replaced by a modern concrete structure; it was commissioned in 1951. The Glavkov Bridge is unusual, consisting of two independent structures. The first, iron, was completed in 1910, the second part was put into operation two years later and was the first concrete bridge structure in Prague. Sculptors such as Stursa, Marzatka and Gutfreind took part in its decoration, and thanks to their sculptures, this project, in general, with a purely functional bias, became artistically valuable as well. The bridge could be divided into two independent parts only because it crosses the largest Prague island - Štvanice.

And finally, we will present you one more "very very..." One of the longest bridges in Prague is the Libensky Bridge, 341 meters long and 21 meters wide. Stepping over the Vltava and Holesovice pier, it connects two Prague districts - Holesovice and Liben. The bridge is concrete, it was completed in 1928 almost simultaneously with the Defenders of the Barricades Bridge, the last bridge structure along the river within the city.

This bridge, a link between the center of Prague and the zoo, in May 1945 became one of the strongholds of the Prague Uprising.

When a guest who has arrived in Prague climbs Legna and looks down at the river connected by a cascade of bridges, he will probably forget all the details of our story, information about sculptures, building materials will slip out of his memory and only general impression, a testament to human ingenuity and talent, backstage that modern technology and the creative work of a man of our century have adorned the river. And in this long line of bridges, somewhere there, in a bluish haze, is lost unique creation gothic, the famous Charles Bridge, one of the most valuable monuments of the continent on which we live. But bridges in Prague are not only bridges across the Vltava. The Powder Bridge stands apart - the only entrance to the Castle through the Deer Moat, which was once a natural fortification Prague Castle(it also kept deer from 1565 until the 18th century).

For decades, there has been talk of a bridge project across the Nuselska Valley, which would connect Nove Mesto with the Pankrack Plain in the south of the city. True, at first it seemed like a pipe dream, but for the implementation of any project, it must become a necessity. After decades of searching, drafting and sketching in the second half of the 60s, the bridge was finally built because it became necessary: ​​tens of thousands of residents of the Southern City need to quickly get to the center of Prague; just as urgent was the need to cross the city by the North-South highway, the route of which could only pass here. Now the bridge is functioning, its length is 490 meters, a metro tunnel passes under it. Four pylons support the bridge at a height of 40 meters above the “bowl” of the Nusel Valley. So the construction of the bridge involved not so much overcoming the water barrier (if we consider the Botić River flowing through the valley as a similar barrier), but overcoming the complexities of the Prague relief.

The second such bridge structure on land is an arc-shaped overpass of the highway connecting Vysočany with another large modern district of Prague, the Northern City, which has grown rapidly on a hill above Vysočany. Another bridge is being designed, which will be a component of the already mentioned North-South highway and will be transferred through the railway station "Prague-Strshed" (Prague-Centre). This bridge will be almost a continuation of the Glavkov Bridge.