Karluv most and Prague’s stone passage over the Vltava
Published on 09/24/2026 at 11:14 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael MĂĽller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Karluv most crosses the Vltava between Prag’s Old Town and Lesser Town. Its stone arches, Gothic towers and long parapets form a passage where medieval engineering and Baroque sculpture occupy the same space.
Karluv most: a medieval crossing in stone
Construction began in 1357 under Charles IV, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor. The bridge was completed in 1402, creating a substantial Gothic route across the Vltava.
The bridge is built from stone and extends for roughly half a kilometre. Sixteen arches support the crossing, while towers mark the approaches from the Old Town and Lesser Town. Prague City Tourism’s history records the construction period and the earlier names Stone Bridge and Prague Bridge.
From plain parapet to Baroque sculpture
For its first centuries, Karluv most had no long sequence of statues along its parapets. The sculptural character developed during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, when saints and religious groups were installed across the bridge.
Thirty statues and sculptural groups line the crossing. Many are associated with Baroque artists including Matthias Braun and Ferdinand Maximilian Brokoff. The statue of Saint John of Nepomuk is among the best-known works, while the full sequence presents a broad display of Bohemian religious art. The bridge’s statue groups belong mainly to the turn of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
The towers at both ends of Karluv most
The Old Town Bridge Tower rises at the eastern approach. It is a Gothic gateway with sculptural decoration connected to the royal route through Prague. The tower’s position frames the bridge as part of the historic connection between the Old Town and Prague Castle.
On the Lesser Town side, the Lesser Town Bridge Towers form the opposite gateway. Their different forms reflect the layered history of the crossing and its neighbourhood. Charles IV and Petr Parlé? are closely associated with the bridge’s foundation and Gothic design.
Visiting Karluv most: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Karluv most crosses the Vltava between Staré M?sto and Malá Strana in central Prag. Prague’s tram, metro and railway networks connect with both sides of the river.
- The crossing is a pedestrian route paved with stone. Its parapets, statues and towers create a narrow linear space above the river.
- The Old Town Bridge Tower and Lesser Town Bridge Towers mark the two approaches. The towers are separate architectural landmarks from the bridge deck.
- The official language is Czech and the currency is the Czech koruna.
Searching for Karluv most on social platforms
These links open searches for Karluv most on each platform.Frequently asked questions about Karluv most
Where is Karluv most?
Karluv most crosses the Vltava in central Prag. It connects the Old Town on the eastern bank with Lesser Town on the western bank.
What can visitors see on Karluv most?
The crossing contains stone arches, Gothic gateway towers and thirty statues or sculptural groups along its parapets. The sculptures include saints and religious figures from the Baroque period.
What makes Karluv most distinctive?
Its identity comes from the meeting of a fourteenth-century Gothic bridge and a later Baroque sculpture gallery. Charles IV and Petr Parlé? are central names in its history.
