The Turbulent History and Legends of the Stone Bridge

Charles Bridge, built by Peter Parler, was a unique construction of its time. It links the Castle and Lesser Town to the Old Town and was designed as a connection along the Royal Route. Near the Lesser Town bank stood a statue of Bruncvík with a reclining lion. It was akin to the Roland statues in western European towns, an outward symbol of municipal law. Roland, Charlemagne’s paladin, had a miraculous sword with which he performed wonders, and buried it before his death. Bruncvík also hid his sword, which supposedly rests within a bridge arch. People say that when Bohemia’s plight is at its worst, St Wenceslas will ride out of Blaník with his knights, seize Bruncvík’s sword and rid the country of its enemies. The statue was badly damaged by the Swedes, and only half of the body survived, now in the National Museum’s Lapidarium. A new statue was erected on the spot in the late nineteenth century, but does not preserve every original decorative detail. Near the Old Town bank is a carved man’s face called Bradáč, the Bearded Man. Old tradition says it depicts the builder of the former Judith Bridge, on whose site and partly on whose foundations Charles Bridge was built. Many legends surround the remarkable gallery of saints’ statues on both sides of the bridge. On King Wenceslas IV’s orders, John of Nepomuk, later canonised, was thrown from Charles Bridge. His remains are linked to the legend of a tongue that did not decay. Vast pilgrimages once came to his tomb in St Vitus Cathedral. During the Baroque period, water pilgrimages took place too: boats carrying musicians and singers left the Na Františku monastery in what was called water music. With singing and prayers, they sailed to the bridge arch where John was thrown into the water, then returned to the monastery. It is said that the arch at the spot where he was cast into the river later collapsed. This was widely believed to be the Devil’s work. According to legend, the builder charged with repairing the arch pledged himself to the Devil, who demanded the first person to cross the repaired bridge in return. Through the Devil’s trickery, it was the builder’s wife. It is also said that their child died, and its spirit made itself known on the bridge by sneezing, awaiting the polite reply, “God bless you.”