跳舞的房子

Charles bridge/ Karlův most 

The Charles Bridge is famous for the many statues of saints that embellish the bridge along its length. For centuries, this bridge was the only link between Lesser Town on the left bank of the Vltava river and Old Town on the opposite side.

History
Statue of St. John the Baptist on the Charles Bridge in Prague
Due to its prominent position the Charles Bridge has played an important part in Prague's history. In 1648, at the end of the Thirty Years' War, the invading Swedes were halted on this bridge and in 1744 the Prussians were defeated here. Today the bridge is often overrun with tourists and souvenir vendors, but it is nonetheless a must-see for any visitor to Prague.

Judith Bridge
As early as in 1158, during the reign of King Vladislav II, a stone bridge was built near the site of the current Charles Bridge. It replaced an older wooden structure and was one of the first stone bridges in Europe built after the fall of the Roman Empire. The bridge, completed in 1172, was named Judith Bridge (Juditin most), for Judith of Thuringia, spouse of Vladislav II, who actively backed the construction of the bridge. The Judith Bridge was swept away when the Vltava river flooded in 1342.

Prague Bridge
In 1357 King Charles IV ordered the construction of a new bridge. The supervisor of the project was Peter Parler, who at this time had also started working on the St. Vitus Cathedral. Parler built a 502 meter (about 1600 ft) long bridge just north of the former Judith Bridge. Resting on 16 arches it was wide enough for four carriages to cross at the same time. Construction of the bridge was completed in 1402. For more than three centuries (until 1742) the bridge would be the only permanent link between both riversides.
At the time the bridge was known as the Prague or Stone Bridge. It wasn't until 1870 before it was renamed Charles Bridge after King Charles IV.

Adding Statues
Originally the Charles Bridge was devoid of any ornamentation, except for a wooden cross that was placed at its center. In the 17th century the cross was replaced by a bronze crucifix. The first statue - of St. John of Nepomuk - was added in 1683.
The statue became popular and as a result more than 20 more statues were added in the early 18th century. Even more statues were added over time; the most recent one was created in 1938. Today in total 30 sculptures adorn the bridge.

The Bridge Today
It's hard to imagine now but the Charles Bridge was long a major thoroughfare and there even used to be a tram on the bridge. In 1950 the bridge was pedestrianized and today it is almost always crowded with tourists and street vendors.

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