Prague, Czech Republic

We stumbled upon the bridge on our first afternoon in Prague.  We were just walking, trying to get the lay of the land, following the river, and there it was!  We stopped, took a few photos, and then continued exploring.  After dinner, we passed by it again on our way back to our hotel, and decided to take a stroll on the bridge.  There were lampposts along the bridge and each statue had some light shining on it, but there were still plenty of shadows.  It felt almost magical, especially as we got closer to the west end and the crowds thinned out.  When we got to the towers depicted in this design, the street was lit beyond from light spilling out of shops and restaurants, and it was so inviting.  It was almost as if we had crossed a draw bridge and were entering on to the castle grounds, with the towers marking the gate in the wall.  We decided to turn around and go back to the hotel, and come back and explore the west side the next day.

Fun Facts:

• Built between 1357 and 1402
• Commissioned by Czech King and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV
• Originally called the Stone Bridge, it became known as the Charles Bridge in 1870
• There is a legend that the mortar used in the bridge was mixed with egg yolks to strengthen it!
• There are 30 statues along the bridge
• One statue is of St. John of Nepomuk.  He was a priest (1345-1393), who refused to tell King Charles IV the Queen's secrets in the confessional.  King Charles threw him off the bridge to his death.  He was later canonized and became the patron saint of floods and drowning
• Legend has it that if you touch the plaque on his statue, it will bring you good luck and safe travels.