Jul 16 2008
Prague Bridges
Prague bridges
Prague is considered by many people as one of the most beautiful European cities to visit. Tourists can enjoy many fantastic sites and locations to see in Prague. The architecture of Prague is stunning and varies in many styles and most of it untouched in both world wars. There are many bridges around Prague – over Vltava river, railway bridges, bridges for cars including several famous bridges and the incredible “Charles Bridge“.
In Prague there are 17 bridges only over Vltava, 4 of them are railway bridges and 1 is designed only for trams. Zeleznicni Bridge (Railway Bridge) is the longest bridge in Prague, 1100 meters long. Libensky Bridge is the longest bridge for cars is with 780 meters. And of course Charles Bridge is the oldest and most visited bridge in Prague, finished in 1402. Over the Nusle side valley formed by the Botic brook span the highest Prague bridge – Nusle Bridge.
The biggest and most famous bridges in Prague
- Charles Bridge (1357 - beg. of 15th century)
- The Karlin Railway (Negrelli) Bridge (1846 - 1850)
- Palacky Bridge (1876 - 1878)
- Bridge of Legions (1898 - 1901)
- The Vysehrad Railway Bridge (1900 - 1901)
- Svatopluk Cech Bridge (1905 - 1908)
- Hlavka Bridge (freeway 1906 - 1912)
- Manes Bridge (1911 - 1914)
- Liben Bridge (1925 - 1928)
- Jirasek Bridge (1929 - 1933)
- Sverma Bridge (1949 - 1951)
- The Branik Railway Bridge (1950 - 1955)
- Bridge of Peace Race in Zbraslav (1961 - 1964)
- The Holesovice Railway Bridge (1967 - 1975)
- The Nusle Bridge (1968 - 1973)
- Barricaders’ Bridge (freeway 1975 - 1980)
- The Tramway Bridge (1974 - 1976)
- Barrandov Bridge (freeway 1978 - 1988)
- The Troja Pedestrian Bridge
The oldest and spectacular Charles Bridge (Karlův most) was built in 1357, and this 520m-long bridge (1770ft) has witnessed more than 600 years of processions, battles, executions and, increasingly, film shoots. It was the only bridge connected 2 halves of Prague in different river banks for 400 years. King Charles IV’s favorite architect and builder Peter Parler, originally built the present-day bridge. At the beginning it was just a functional construction for jousting tournaments and during many years the only decoration on the bridge was a simple Crucifix, but later in 16-18 centuries the urge of the Catholics for ornamentation resulted in construction of 30 statues.
The Bridge contains 16 pillars and 3 bridge towers. However most of the statues are not from that time, due to various floods and catastrophes over the centuries, they are copies, but close to real. There are 75 statues in Charles Bridge and probably the most interesting, and the oldest one, is statue of John Nepomuk (number 8 from the right as you cross towards the castle). The best time to enjoy beauty of Charles Bridge is early in the morning, when tourist crowds are still sleeping or at candlelight resting after long day in Prague hotels before their dinner.
Nuselsky Bridge is one of the Prague’s most important bridges; as it carries the metro to the huge Prague 4 area, and providing one of the city’s main road connections - the Magistrala highway from the centre of Prague, across the Nusle valley to Pankrac. But unfortunately it also has a darker side: the word many Prague residents associate with Nuselsky most is suicide. Hundreds of people died here since the bridge was completed in 1973, it is almost half a kilometer across and has an average height of 42 meters, though in some places the drop is a fair bit further. That’s why at least 200 people have chosen to end their lives by jumping off the bridge in the last three and a half decades.
Authorities of Prague ordered to erect high barriers curved inward (meaning towards the road). The top part is made out of a smooth metal (instead of a net) and person who wants to overcome it has nothing to hold on to and get over. Experienced rock climbers tested the new system has been tested and they couldn’t get over it!
Another one is Bridge Legii (the bridge of legions) is the first bridge in Prague constructed as replacement of already existing bridge. The length of bridge of Legions is 343 meters and width is 16 meters. The competition concepts for this new Prague bridge was Franz 1 bridge. The last concept of stone bridge by was finally built in the years 1899 – 1901.
And Prague is going to have even more bridges over the River Vltava as the number of bridges is not sufficient for the increased volume of traffic. Construction of new 35 meters long bridge is supposed to start in 2009. It will connect Holesovice and Troja. This bridge will be both for cars and trams. Also new bridges for pedestrians connecting island Stvanice with Karlin and Holesovice with Karlin a Rohansky island.