PRAGUE CHARLES BRIDGE ON FOOT WITH REAL AUDIO
Among the many attractions in the city of Prague, the Charles Bridge over the Vltava is certainly an unmissable destination!
Frequented by Prague residents, street artists, tourists and souvenir sellers, it is the oldest and most important bridge in the city.
The Charles Bridge in Prague was built in 1357 at the behest of the monarch Charles IV.
The king commissioned the architect Petr Parler to design what was formerly known as the Stone Bridge. The Karluv Most (this is its original name) was completed in 1402.
The architect Parler is very famous in the city because he was the author of two other famous monuments in the capital of the Czech Republic, the Cathedral of San Vito and the Prague Castle.
What are the measures of the Charles Bridge?
515.76 meters long and
9.5 meters wide.
In addition, it rests on 16 arches, measuring between approximately 16 and 24 meters, and has two towers at each end, one on the Malà Strana side, one on the Staré Město side.
Myths and legends are linked to the Charles Bridge, studied for a long time by enthusiasts of esotericism and alchemy.
Consider, for example, the fact that the first stone was laid by King Charles IV at 5.31am on 9 July 1357.
These numbers are not random! If you write in the order year, day, month, hour, you get a first increasing scale and, after the number 9, decreasing. 1 3 5 7 9 7 5 3 1
This mathematical alchemy would be linked to precise esoteric meanings.
In 1723, an interesting addition was made to the bridge.
In fact, oil lanterns were installed, which still today represent its main means of lighting.
The lanterns make the atmosphere of the Charles Bridge even more magical and mysterious, to be fully experienced during the evenings full of mist and fog.
It is useful to know that access to cars on the bridge has not been allowed since 1965, while the public bus and tram service was granted until the Second World War.
Saints and Legends
As mentioned, the Charles Bridge is linked to numerous stories, myths and legends in which fiction and reality are intertwined.
Furthermore, the monument is closely connected to some historical and religious figures, saints who are venerated like divinities.
It is no coincidence that on the sides of the bridge there are 30 statues of Baroque origin, most likely made in the 17th century.
However, the statues present are only copies: the originals are currently kept in the Lapidarium of the National Museum of the Czech city.
However, the most important of the list remains San Giovanni Nepomuceno.