The river under the bridges of Prague. The most beautiful bridges in Prague

Countries - 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 fulfill not only a practical function, but also decorate the city, as some of them are true works of art.

Glavkov bridge - a unique construction of the Prague bridge construction

The Glavkov Bridge, connecting Karlin and Holesovice, runs over the island of Štvanice and the Vltava. This structure was built from iron in the 20th century. A few years later, the iron structure was replaced by a concrete one. 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 patron of the Czech Republic - Joseph Glavka. 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 Štvanice. The bridge was built in two stages. In 1900, a wooden structure was built, and 10 years later - railroad bridge, which was subsequently combined with concrete. Those appearance and the construction that guests and residents of Prague have the opportunity to observe today, the 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. Shtursa.

history and legend

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

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

Whatever the reality, it is impossible to refute the fact that one of the strongest and most beautiful buildings in the Czech capital is the Charles Bridge in Prague. The photos that can be found on the Internet represent him in all his beauty. The structure 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 side of the Old Town and admire the beauty of sculpture and Gothic art. To do this, they will have to overcome 138 steps.

Irasekov bridge

It took 5 years to build the Irasekova Bridge - from 1923 to 1925. Its goal was to relieve the existing bridges from the ever-growing traffic flow. The design was developed by architects F. Menkl and W. Hoffmann, who successfully combined in this design high carrying capacity, elegant appearance and functionality. Reinforced concrete was used for the construction.

The Irasekov Bridge is 21 m long, 310.6 m wide, and its spans 14.5 m high and connects the working suburb of Prague with Novy Mest. All bridges in Prague have their own name history. Thus, this construction 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 looking at the bridges of Prague. A photo of this building, of course, can be found in various sources, but visiting it is completely different, because from here you can see a magnificent view of 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 Pavl Janak. Previously, Klarov and the Old Place were connected by an iron suspension bridge for pedestrians. And even earlier, there was a ferry crossing to the fishing village. Initially, the bridge was built exclusively for the movement of vehicles, but over time it became necessary to move pedestrians along it, for which paths were equipped in the middle of the twentieth century. The building owes its name to a famous artist 19th century Joseph Manes.

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

Nuselský Bridge differs from other bridges in the Czech capital primarily in its enormous size - 26 meters wide, on which there is a six-lane road and sidewalks on both sides, and 500 meters long. Thousands cross the bridge every day Vehicle, 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 is 43 meters high. The bridge was built to connect Novy Mest and Pankats. It should be noted that it does not cross the Vltava River, like many other bridges in Prague, but simply passes over the Nuselskaya Valley, from which it got its name. True, it originally bore the name of Clement Gottwald, who was the first president of Czechoslovakia. The people call the crossing the bridge of suicides. This is due to the fact that many people took their own lives by jumping from the Nuselsky bridge.

Lehi's 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 the Malaya Strana and passes over the Streletsky Island. The plan for this structure was developed by the engineer Jiří Soukup and the architect Antonín Balshank. The bridge is 343 m long and 16. Its prototype is the Pont d'Alma bridge in Paris.

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

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

The oldest and famous bridge in Prague. This is a real symbol of Prague, its business card and at the same time a link between the Old Town and Malaya Strana. 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 hours 31 minutes. This date, which is a pyramid with the number "9" at the top - 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.

A modern legend has it that the Dalai Lama, passing over the bridge in 1990, said that the bridge was in 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 photographers manage to photograph him without people.

The entrance to the bridge is "guarded" by two Lesser Town Bridge towers, which used to be part of the Prague defensive complex.

The second oldest road bridge - Palatsky Bridge - was completed in 1878. Named after František Palacky, an outstanding leader of the Czech popular movement, author of the book "History of the Czech People".

Barrandovsky road bridge was built in 1983 and is part of the multi-lane ring road, passing through almost all of Prague. There is also pedestrian bridge which connects the two districts, a scattered highway.

Built in 1933. It starts from the Alois Jirasek square (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 former here iron cable-stayed ("chain") bridge of Franz I. bridge). This old bridge was dismantled in 1888. The new one - the Legia Bridge - is named after the Czech legionnaires of the 1st World War,

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

7. Branick railway viaduct

Built in 1952-55. Two highways and two railway tracks pass along it.

8. Manesov bridge

Concrete bridge, completed in 1914. Previously, it was in this place that there was a ferry crossing over 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 arch bridge in Prague.

Built in 1951 on the site of the former bridge of Emperor Franz Joseph I.

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 Štvanice; this part of the bridge was steel.

12. Karlinsky viaduct

It is also called the Negrelli Viaduct. Built in 1850, it is considered the most beautiful example of a railway structure in Europe. 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, unique in its own way: a wooden one, 449 meters long. The length of the current - 780
meters, and, in addition to the river, this bridge also stretches over the Holešovice pier.

Railway bridge 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, since the old one quickly deteriorated and became unsafe, and the 16-meter width no longer met transport requirements. This is the last Prague automobile bridge along the Vltava river: further - only a steel tramway, and - a suspension bridge for cyclists and pedestrians to the Troja Castle.

16. The highest bridge - Nuselsky

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

- is no exception, which can be seen by looking at the view of the city from above.

But among all these structures there is a unique one - Charles Bridge. He not only connected the banks of the river, but also occupied important place in the history of the city. This bridge is completely pedestrian, although this was not always the case. Built six centuries ago, it has undergone some changes, but it has become all the more attractive for tourists and locals. As a rule, there are a lot of passers-by here, regardless of the time of year or day. I first visited this bridge on Christmas Eve, when most of the people went to their homes and restaurants to celebrate. It was deserted, very snowy, which gave the impression that I was straight into a fairy tale.

A bit of history

The bridge was conceived by Charles IV, it was supposed to connect Prague Castle and the Old Town area. In its place there used to be another, Juditin Bridge, destroyed by the flood. Dates for the start of construction dates were chosen by astrologers. In those centuries, numbers were of great magical importance, and a bridge built according to all the rules was considered to stand forever. It was opened in 1402 and until now has been subject to some changes: until 1908 a horse-drawn railway ran along it, then a tram ran there for a short time. Sculptures did not appear immediately either, only in the 17-18 centuries.

How to get there

You can get to the bridge from two sides, through any of the towers. From the west, you can get to the Malostranské náměstí stop by bus or tram, and to the Malostranská metro station on the green line. It is difficult to say which way will be faster to get there. On the one hand, the distance from the metro to the bridge is longer than from the bus or tram stop. On the other side, the metro runs straight ahead and at a higher speed.

From the east side, you can also take the metro to the Staroměstská station - this is the next (or the previous one, depending on which side you are coming from) after Malostranska. You can also take the tram to the Karlovy lázně, Národní divadlo or Staroměstská stops.

It is necessary to walk from each stop to the bridge itself, but this will take no more than 10 minutes.

What to see

The architecture of Charles Bridge and the towers surrounding it is remarkable: take a close look at the sculptural compositions - some of them are simply unique. In addition, there are always many counters with souvenirs: magnets, badges, earrings or handmade beads. Local artists are also located here, who in a couple of tens of minutes will draw your portrait in various styles (airbrushing, charcoal, watercolor), as well as sell ready-made landscapes or other paintings.

There are also musicians who perform not only their own compositions, but also songs you know in an unusual arrangement. You can walk on this bridge all day and constantly find something new. Once I got from its western part to its eastern part in 3 hours: I managed to listen to two string quartets. The guys played so exciting and infectious that passers-by started dancing.

It turns out to be some kind of endless outdoor performance.

In addition to street performers, you can also meet local beggars: they stand in a characteristic pose, leaning on their knees and elbows, begging for alms. The place is profitable, as there are many people among the visitors who give them change. Perhaps tourists see this as a kind of secret ritual that allows them to join local rules and customs?

Charles Bridge towers

The bridge is fortified on both sides by towers: Old Town and Lesser Towns. The first is located in the east and is a passage to the Old Place, which is why it got its name. The second one is located on the western side and serves as a gateway to the area of ​​the city called “ Small Country". What can you tell about these structures?

Old Town Tower

It is a classic example of medieval European architecture.

Its facade is decorated with sculptures, which indicates that it was erected not only as a fortification, but also functioned as a "triumphal arch": the king's path often ran through this bridge. The facade is decorated with the coats of arms of the cities of the Czech crown, and above are the key figures in the history of the country: Saint Vitus sits on the throne, to the left of him is King Charles IV, to the right is Wenceslas IV.

In the basement of the tower there used to be a prison, which has now become part of the exhibition: you can go down and see what conditions the prisoners were in. And on the upper tier there was a debt prison for people from the noble and wealthy classes. Now it houses one of the most beautiful viewing platforms Prague, from which you can see the river and Prague Castle.

It is open from 10 am to 6 pm from November to February, 8 pm from March to October and 10 pm from April to September. An adult ticket will cost you 90 CZK, while students and children can get in for 65 CZK upon presentation of the relevant document. There are 136 steps to climb to the top, but the magnificent view that opens before visitors (especially at sunset) is well worth it.

Lesser Town Towers

We settled down on the other side of the bridge.

They have an individual design, as they were built at different times, which in no way spoils their appearance. Rather, it adds flavor. The small tower (the one on the left) was built in the 12th century. It was used as a fortification in front of the passage to Prague Castle, and later served as a prison for especially dangerous prisoners. The high, it is the right tower, was built only in the middle of the 15th century. In its place there used to be another, similar to a small one. This building is decorated only with niches on the facade. The gates between the towers are two walls with arched openings, which were once closed with oak doors and an iron grating. As decorations along the upper edge, there are teeth, and below there are coats of arms.

There is also observation deck on a high tower, from which you can clearly see Prague Castle, the Church of St. Nicholas, Petřín Hill, the Television Tower and much more. You can climb it by 146 steps.

Almost immediately behind the towers, there are cafes and restaurants where you can have a snack after an exciting pastime. Looking into a couple of establishments right next to high tower, I was very surprised: in a city where bars and pubs are considered the cheapest in Europe, prices bite. The restaurants “U modré boty”, “Casanova” and summer cafes under umbrellas turned out to be very expensive. I really wanted to eat, and I found a way out: for this it was necessary to cross the street and look into a fast food restaurant. To be honest, I don’t remember its name, but standing with your back to the Charles Bridge and the Small Tower, you will find it on your left hand. Burgers, local sausage, shawarma-like, beer and soda are all you need to satisfy your hunger. From the recommendations: I suggest everyone at least once taste the local sausage sold in such establishments and street pavilions. Personally, I ate all six or eight types and was totally ecstatic.

Sculptures

During the Baroque era, Charles Bridge was decorated with unique sculptures. There are 30 such groups in total (if you count the statue behind the fences, then 31), most of which were installed in the late 17th - early 18th centuries. It is noteworthy that for preservation, most of the sculptures were transferred to the branch. National Museum, and on the bridge there are now exact copies of them. If you walk along the Charles Bridge from the Old Town Tower to Lesser Town, on your right hand you will see:

1. A copy of St. Bernard of Klerovsky with Madonna.

2. A copy of the sculptural group, which depicts St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Dominic at the feet of the Madonna.

3. Crucifix made of bronze. There is a Hebrew plaque on the sculpture with words of praise addressed to Christ.

4. Saint Anna with her daughter (who later became the Virgin Mary).

5. Saints Methodius and Cyril, who preach a sermon to the pagans. It is noteworthy that this sculpture was designed and supplied at the expense of the Ministry of Education.

6. St. John the Baptist.

7. Saints Norbert, Wenceslas and Sigismund.

8. St. John of Nepomuk - the personal cleric of the Queen and priest. According to historical information, he was thrown into the river for refusing to reveal the secret of the queen's confession to her husband (emperor). He is the executor of the desires of tourists and the patron saint of drowning people. Do not forget, when passing by, to touch him and make a wish.

9. Saint Anthony with the baby Jesus.

10. Apostle Judas Thaddeus.

11. A copy of the statue of St. Augustine.

12. Saint Keatinus.

13. Saint Philip Benicius.

14. St. Vitus with his tame lions.

15. The healers of Saint Cosmos and Diaminus. Delivered at the initiative of the Faculty of Medicine, Charles University.

In the same direction, but on the left hand, you can consider:

1. Saints Themis and Willow, who fell to judge the dispute between the son and the mother. As many may have noticed, some of the statues on the bridge were initiated by universities. And you probably already guessed that this sculpture is in the department of the Faculty of Law of the Prague University.

2. Saints Elizabeth, Margaret, Barbara. At their feet is a dragon, whose head was cut off by Margarita.

3. A group depicting the mourning of Christ by John the Theologian and Mary Magdalene.

4. Saint Joseph with the baby Jesus.

5. A copy of the sculptural composition depicting St. Francis and the nation baptized by him.

6. Saint Christopher carrying the baby Jesus across the river.

7. Saint Francis Borgia.

8. A copy of the statue of St. Ludmila, which teaches the grandson to read; later he became Saint Wenceslas.

9. St. Francis of Assisi.

10. A group depicting St. Prokop of Sazavsky with angels, as well as St. Vincent Ferrer and the nations baptized by him.

11. A copy of the statue of St. Nicholas of Talentinsky.

12. A copy of the sculpture depicting Saint Luitgar conducting a conversation with Christ.

13. A copy of the sculpture of St. Vojtěch.

14., Saint Felix of Valois, Saint John of Mata. The sculptural group is located on a pedestal, inside of which there is a dungeon symbolizing Christians in captivity.

15. The statue of St. Wenceslas.

Between the 10th and 11th sculptures there is a statue of the Knight Brunswick with a tame lion. This sculpture is the only one not located on the bridge, but carried out behind its railing on a support.

Stairs to Kampa

On the side of the Lesser Towns Towers is the Kampa Island, rich in architectural and sculptural wonders. It is separated from the shore by a small Devil's rack. You can get to Kampa from the mainland or directly from Charles Bridge along the monumental neo-Gothic staircase on the left side, if you have almost reached the Lesser Townskeys from the Old Town Tower.

Charles Bridge legends

Like any historical building, this object has collected many legends about itself:

• Sometimes an owl flew to the Old Town Tower, which with its sad cry foreshadowed a fire or flood. Locals they even tried to shoot the bird, but it invariably returned.
• During the construction period, in order to improve the quality of the mortar, Karl ordered the delivery of eggs to Prague from all over the country. But the peasants of one of the villages, in order to please the emperor, boiled these eggs and sent them to the court like that.
• There is also a legend about the knight Brunswick: it is similar to the "Odyssey", the only difference is that he killed his wife's suitors not with arrows, but with a sword.
• Under the fourth arch of the bridge, the ghost of the water once lived and was friends with the potter old Prague.
• On the eastern side of the bridge, only a pure holy soul can count five images of kingfisher birds. But most tourists do it. In order not to make the task easier for those who are interested, I can hint: it is better to consider the statues.
• And if you make a wish on the Charles Bridge and touch one of the sculptures, then it will definitely come true. Desires also come true for lovers who kissed on the bridge.

There are other legends, more precisely, there are countless legends of them. Which one to believe in, and which one to treat with doubt and skepticism is up to you. But you must agree that all these stories give the Charles Bridge a special mystery and uniqueness.

I would like to advise you to devote at least a day to this place, and preferably two. Choose clear warm weather to catch as many interesting things as possible: unusual artists, musicians or even an organ grinder.

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. An interesting fact is 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 the Charles Bridge is now. It was built in the first half of the 10th century, from wood. The body of the late Wenceslas from Stara Boleslav was transported to the Castle over this very 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 erect new bridge... Thus, soon the Vltava was crossed by the Juditin bridge, which was located slightly to the north. The building was named in honor of Queen Judita, who oversaw the construction process. In those years, this bridge was considered the only technical construction of such a significant scale in Europe.

The Juditin 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 reminders 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 Juditin Bridge was supported by as many as 24 pillars. Apparently, that is why he suffered, that he too obstructed the flow of the river.

The bridge, erected by decree of Charles IV, has attracted the attention of engineers and architects from all over Europe since its construction. Most long bridge in Europe - Dresden - has long been considered the most spectacular. Prague, on the other hand, has always been reputed to be 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 in 1436, held here in honor of King Sigmund.

The immediate creator of this structure was Peter Parlezh. The Baroque period gave the bridge three dozen statues and several groups of saints. A number of these architectural decorations have become the longest gallery of its kind in the world. Many sculptors of this era contributed to the creation of these masterpieces of architectural art. Among other architects and sculptors of that time, the most active part in the creation of the elements of this was the craftsmen of the Brokoff family, as well as Jan Bedrich Kol and Matias Braun. The greatest artistic value of all the statues belongs to the sculptural group of St. Luittarda, the author of which is the same Matthias Brown. It is worth noting that this work glorified the master.

Many floods fell to the lot of 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 has successfully survived many ordeals, 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 Old Town with Swedish troops took place here. The bridge witnessed the flight of Frederick Palatinate, who was defeated in the Battle of Belogorsk. All the rulers who ruled the Czech Republic after Charles IV were crowned right here, on this bridge. Current name the bridge was received relatively recently, in 1870. Before that, he was known as "stone" or "Prague".

For about five centuries, Charles Bridge was the only link between the shores of Prague. The idea of ​​building another bridge across the Vltava was born only at the beginning of the nineteenth century. The bridge itself appeared in 1842, receiving the name Shnirkhov... This chained Empire style structure connects the shores of the Czech capital at the point where the this moment located . This structure stood until 1901, and then it was replaced by a more modern structure, which is now called Lehi's bridge.

As the network evolves railways, it became necessary to connect the left bank of Prague with the right one by erecting a corresponding structure, as a result of which a bridge appeared, over which trains got from to Smichov. This building functions successfully in our time. The year of his birth is considered 1878, and he is called - which among all stone structures Prague is in second place after Karlov. Another railway bridge was built near the island of Štvanice. At the same time, in the place of the present one stood chain bridge Franz I.

It is inconceivable, but the people of Prague in modern times were quite successful in getting along 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 surface of the Vltava, stretching for many kilometers. Now bridges break the river into many small sections, which completely changes the appearance of the reservoir. Nowadays, a completely different landscape appears before the eyes of the townspeople and guests 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 stated, Palatsky bridge stands in second place among stone structures after Charles Bridge. This magnificent building was once decorated with sculptural groups, the author of which was I.V. Myslbek. They had to be removed after the attack by American aircraft, which took place on February 14, 1945. From the side of Novy Mest, a statue of Libuš with Přemysl was erected, and not far from them was the legendary singer of that time - Lumir. On the other side of the bridge one could see Zaba with Slava and Tstirada with Sharka. The 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 the transport problems of Prague citizens. The bridge was built in 1928, and it was named after the writer Alois Jirasek, who was the author of many historical novels. He worked and lived not far from the place where the bridge now stands. From the side of Novy Mesto, a monument to the writer is erected on the bridge, and next to him - tenement house with a plaque on it.

Moving further along the river, we will meet May Day Bridge (, Legionnaires' Bridge), and behind it is the Charles Bridge. However, we have already spoken about these structures above. Next in line - (Mánesův most), which was first commissioned in 1916. Its construction began in 1911, however, in subsequent years, during the First World War, the construction was never completed. This concrete bridge was built near Krasnoarmeytsev square.

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

This structure is followed by Štefánikův most ferrying transport to the Lega 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 drove along it two years later, in 1912. This second structure was the first concrete bridge in the city. Famous masters such as Marzhatka, Stuurs and Gutfreund were invited to decorate the building. The 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 port side to the starboard side is 21 meters. This bridge connected Liben and Holešovice. The structure was built of concrete in 1982.

Construction was completed almost at the same time. Bridge of the Defenders of the Barricades (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 a stronghold of the Prague uprising.

Having visited Prague and climbed Letnu, 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, creating a kind of cascade. Among them is the legendary Charles Bridge, which today is not the only one of its kind, but invariably remains a unique monument of the world scale. The idea of ​​building a bridge across the Nusel Valley appeared several decades ago the project continued to hang in the air. However, as always happens, anything becomes possible as soon as the need arises, and when the time came, another bridge was built from the Pankrácká Valley to Novy Mesto. This happened in the 60s, as tens of thousands of residents Southern city could not otherwise quickly reach the center of Prague. Among other things, there was a need for the construction of the North-South highway, which could only be laid in this place. In length, this bridge structure stretches for 490 meters, and a metro line is laid under its foundations. Cars and other vehicles pass over the bridge 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 struggle with the reservoir.

The overpass of the motorway connecting Vysočany with Northern city, is in many ways similar to the bridge over the Nusel Valley. Soon, another bridge will be erected in Prague, which will become part of the North-South highway. This construction will pass over the Prague-Strzed train station. To some extent, it can be considered 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 used in construction as a basis and in the architectural design. Each of them is beautiful and majestic in its own way. Passing in turn over the bridges of the Czech capital, you will discover more and more landscapes and panoramas, which you can enjoy endlessly. More than once the city will appear before you in an unusual perspective, and this will help you better understand it. You should definitely look at the Prague bridges from above, because everything is perceived completely differently from above.

Hello friends! The Vltava River in Prague, in my opinion, is an additional decoration of the city. The capital of the Czech Republic is very well located on both banks of the river, not afraid of the rocky cliffs. For more than a thousand years, the city has grown and built up, and now the Vltava divides Prague into two parts quite equally, moreover, equally interesting for its sights.

If there were no river in the central part of the city, would there be such excellent views of these famous sights:

In the old days, the bridge in this place was much more exotic - it was hanging and was called the Rudolf's shop. The 3.35 m wide pedestrian shop existed from 1869 to 1914, after which the chain structure was replaced with a reinforced concrete one. Initially, the bridge was named after Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and later it was renamed Manesov, immortalizing the name of the famous Czech artist.

The Charles Bridge

We are approaching the center and the most popular Prague bridge - Karlov. The bridge-history, founded in 1357, serves the people of the seventh century:

The pedestrian bridge with the sculptural gallery is undoubtedly the most memorable sight, and complemented by the bridge towers, it has become nothing but a symbol of Prague:

The history of the construction of the bridge, its sculptural wealth and atmosphere, I have already described in detail in articles and. I recommend following the links. Charles Bridge deserves a closer look.

The Bridge of Legions or Legia is the name of the bridge that stretches from the National Theater to the foot of the Petrin Hill. It is one of the longest connections between the two banks of the Vltava. At this point, the river is wider and includes several islands - Streletsky, Zofin Island and Detsky.

The Lehi Bridge also replaced its predecessor, dedicated to Emperor Franz Joseph I. From the middle of the 19th century, the Franz I Bridge was iron, but at the turn of the century it was rebuilt into stone, decorated with pylons with baroque turrets:

Nine spans of the bridge rest on powerful, but not devoid of grace, figured supports. The bridge is good, no matter how you look at it. This view opens from Streletsky Island, which is located under the Legia Bridge:

Actually, you can only get to it from this bridge, going down front staircase... The Bridge of Legia changed its name several times, but in 1989 the issue was finally settled.

The bridge, named after the Czech public figure and writer Alois Jirasek, is relatively young, as it was built in 1929-31. A 6-span bridge connects Nove Mesto at the Masaryk embankment with the Smichov district on the opposite bank:

Yiraskov Bridge stretches for 310 m. It is convenient to get to the Children's Island along it. This bridge does not have any attractions, but there is interesting objects... From the side of the embankment it is a modern and medieval Shitkovskaya tower.

Do you think the bridges over the Vltava within Prague are exhausted? Not at all. There are more than a dozen of them. If you look from Vysehrad towards the center, the Iron Bridge and Palacky Bridge will appear in the foreground. To help tourists figure it out, on one of the observation platforms of Vysehrad, they installed stone map depicting bridges and landmarks along the banks of the Vltava that come into view:

By the way, the Vltava from the Vysehrad cliff is pleasing to the eye. In sunny weather, the river, like a mirror, reflects the rays, and everything sparkles when you look at it from a height.

Friends, if you have already visited Prague, walked along the Charles Bridge and enjoyed the views of the Vltava in the center, but have not yet reached or to the Letensky Gardens, next time include these points in your routes. The Vltava and its bridges look great from the named heights.

Your euro-guide Tatiana