EVENING CHARLES BRIDGE: THE MYSTERIOUS HISTORY AND UNUSUAL STORIES OF THE BRIDGE AND ITS SCULPTURE
The stone Charles Bridge, built under the protection of stars and astrological signs, but also magical formulas, and the energy of the place itself has attracted a huge number of people for centuries. Mysteries, magical energy, sacral geometry, magical formulas, the mysterious stories of the bridge, its builders, the statues, sculptures and saints they embody, the sculptors who created them and their spiritual legacy will all be the content of this experiential walk.
Charles Bridge is a kind of “cross connection” between the two banks, right and left, Vyšehrad and Castle, Old and Lesser Town of Prague, but also between what is below and what is above, between the profane and the sacred world, earthly and heavenly, between what is behind us and what is ahead of us.
Romantic, noble, even highly photogenic, full of mysteries, entwined with legends, fairy tales, orders, firmly connected with the history of the city, this is Charles Bridge, which belongs to the key Gothic buildings of Prague and the whole of Bohemia. The unique sculptural decoration, the work of many great artists, is not only a gallery of public sculptures without captions (so you usually need someone to replace them with your accompanying word), but also an engaging, perhaps a little adventurous series, “sculptural medieval comics” whose sculpture is one from its indispensable sequels. It is another element that completes its fairy-tale and unique atmosphere.
Charles Bridge is also a kind of open sacral space, an airy cathedral with a sky instead of a Gothic ceiling and 30 chapels, to which (not only) the inhabitants of Prague used to actually go to pray, always according to their wishes.
Do you know what movies were made on the bridge? Where was the tax for the bridge crossing collected? Who cared for the bridge for centuries? Where were the executions, knightly tournaments and penalties for cheating customers? Which statue on Charles Bridge smiles with half a face, the other with a sad one and why actually? Which of the many saints on the bridge contributed to the creation of the Order of the Templars, the penetration of the Gothic style into Europe, and the spread of the Marian cult? Which of the authors of the sculptures broke the Baroque pyramidal “usage” and completely opened it towards the sky? Which sculptural group did people go to ask not to leave this world without preparation? The history, iconography, legends, stories and destinies of the statues, or rather those whom these magnificent statues and sculptures represent, and which will surely interest you more than bare historical facts, will all be part of what you will be able to see and also on your own. eyes to see.
In addition to legends about figures personified by the world-famous alley of statues, you will also learn about interesting things about bridgeheads, towers, gates, treasures hidden in the bridge, etc. And also about the predecessor of Charles Bridge , sleepy, beautiful, wise and foresighted builder.
