Charles Bridge

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  • Address
    Karlův most, Staré Město
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  • Transport
    tram: 12, 20, 22, 23 to Malostranské náměstí

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Lonely Planet review

Strolling across Charles Bridge is everybody's favourite Prague activity. However, by it's a 500m-long fairground, with an army of tourists squeezing through a gauntlet of hawkers and buskers, beneath the impassive gaze of the imposing baroque statues that line the parapets (see the boxed text, ). If you want to experience the bridge at its most atmospheric it's best appreciated at dawn.

In 1357 Charles IV commissioned Petr Parler (architect of St Vitus Cathedral) to replace the 12th-century Judith Bridge, which had been washed away by floods in 1342.

The new bridge was completed around 1400, and only took Charles' name in the 19th century - before that it was known simply as Kamenný most (Stone Bridge). Despite occasional flood damage, it withstood wheeled traffic for 600 years - thanks, legend says, to eggs mixed into the mortar - until it was made pedestrian-only after WWII.

In the crush, don't forget to look at the bridge itself (climb one of the bridge towers for a great view) and the grand vistas up and down the river. Gangs of pickpockets work the bridge day and night, so keep track of your purse or wallet.