Charles Bridge

Orientation

Charles Bridge spans the Vltava between Staré Město (Old Town) on the east bank and Malá Strana (Lesser Town) on the west. It is 515.76 metres long, 9.5 metres wide and carried on 16 arches. The Old Town Bridge Tower marks the eastern entrance; the Lesser Town Bridge Towers stand at the far end.

This is a pedestrian crossing: walk it as part of a route between Old Town and the castle-side districts, rather than treating it as a separate detour. The bridge deck itself is freely accessible.

What you are looking at

Construction began in 1357 under Charles IV after the flood-damaged Judith Bridge was lost, and the new bridge was completed in 1402. Built from sandstone blocks, it was first known as the Stone Bridge or Prague Bridge; the name Charles Bridge came into use in 1870.

The Gothic structure acquired its later sculptural character between 1683 and 1928, when 30 statues and sculptural groups were installed along the balustrades. Most are sandstone; originals vulnerable to weather or flood damage have been replaced by copies, while originals are held in museum collections.

Details worth stopping for

Walk from Old Town towards Malá Strana and look beyond the most obvious photo stops.

• St John of Nepomuk: the bronze statue of 1683 is the oldest statue still standing in its original form.
• The Calvary: this bronze crucifix group is one of the bridge’s visually distinct monuments.
• Bridge towers: the Old Town tower is a Gothic gateway; on the west bank, the paired Lesser Town towers combine a surviving older tower with later additions.
• The river structure: view the piers and arches from either bank to see the bridge as an engineered crossing, not only a sculpture-lined promenade.

Timing and movement

The narrow deck is a through-route as well as a landmark. Cross in the early morning if you want time to examine the statues and towers at a measured pace; later in the day, keep moving and step aside before stopping for photographs.

Use the Old Town entrance for a direct walk from the historic centre. From the Malá Strana end, the bridge feeds into the streets below Prague Castle. The Kampa staircase, built in 1844, drops from the bridge towards the riverside island.

Tower access

The bridge is free, but the towers are separate ticketed sights. The Old Town Bridge Tower has a viewing gallery reached by 138 stairs. It is not barrier-free; strollers and wheelchairs cannot enter, and access may be restricted during busy periods or hazardous weather. The gallery can close when conditions make it unsafe.