Charles Bridge is a stone bridge across the Vltava in Prague, one of the best-known landmarks of the Czech capital. It was commissioned by Charles IV, king of Bohemia and Holy Roman emperor, after floods destroyed the earlier Judith Bridge in 1342. Work began in 1357, and the structure was largely finished in the early 15th century. For centuries it was the only fixed crossing of the river and a key link between the Old Town and the Lesser Town beneath Prague Castle. Baroque statues of saints were added along its sides from the late 17th century, and today it is a pedestrian bridge.
Before and after
- 1400Birth of Johannes Gutenberg
- c. 1400sThe moa are hunted to extinction in New Zealand
- 25 October 1400Death of Geoffrey Chaucer
- 15th centuryConstruction of Santa Maria delle Grazie
- 1402Construction of Charles Bridge
- 1402Construction of Seville Cathedral
- from 1402 to 1976Spanish Empire
- from 20 July 1402 to 5 July 1413Ottoman Interregnum
- 1403Construction of Gur-e Amir
More in Civilizations & archaeology
- 537 CEConstruction of Hagia Sophia
- 802 CEConstruction of Angkor Wat
- from 2 February 962 CE to 6 August 1806Holy Roman Empire
- from c. 1113 to 1150Suryavarman II builds Angkor Wat
- 1193Origins of Chernobyl
- 1373Construction of Leaning Tower of Pisa
The era
This moment belongs to the Medieval world (500 CE to 1500 CE), kingdoms, faiths and trade routes. You can also browse everything in the 15th century.