List of statues on Charles Bridge

This is a list of statues and statuaries that are placed on the Charles Bridge, Prague. There are 30 statues mounted to the balustrade of the bridge, forming two alleys, one on each side. The sculptures are listed according to their position on the bridge: going from the Old Town bridge tower to the Lesser Quarter bridge tower (number 1 to 15) and divided to the left (L) and right-hand (R) side. The statue of Bruncvík is also included, although it does not belong to the main alley of statues on the bridge.

• 1-L: Statuary of St. Ivo (Czech: sousoší sv. Iva or Ivona)
  The original made by Matthias Braun in 1711 at the expenses of the Law faculty of Charles University. The statuary presents St. Ivo, the patron saint of lawyers, accompanied by an allegory of Justice.

• 1-R: Statuary of Madonna attending to St. Bernard (Czech: sousoší Madony se sv. Bernardem)
  By Matěj Václav Jäckl from 1709, submitted by the abbot of the Cistercian monastery in Osek, Benedikt Littwerig.

• 2-L: Statuary of saints Barbara, Margaret and Elizabeth (sousoší sv. Barbory, Markéty a Alžběty)
  Made by Ferdinand Brokoff in 1707. Although there is an inscription saying IOANN BROKOFF FECIT (made by Jan Brokoff), the style shows the evidence of his son Ferdinand being the true author of the sculpture (which is the case of several other statues on the bridge).

• 2-R: Statuary of Madonna, St. Dominic and Thomas Aquinas (sousoší Madony se sv. Dominikem a Tomášem Akvinským)
  By Matěj Václav Jäckel from 1708, sponsored by the dominicans convent of St. Jiljí in the Old Town of Prague. Statuary composed as an equilateral triangle, with the center axis represented by Madonna passing a prayer beads to St. Dominic on the left. On the right, Thomas Aquinas is standing, holding several his attributes.

• 3-L: Statuary of the Lamenting of Christ (sousoší Piety)
  By Emanuel Max from 1858 as a commission of the Old Town public authorities. Depicts Mary Magdalene and Virgin Mary mourning for the dead Christ. Originally at this place of the bridge, there was a wooden crucifix in the 15th century, torn down by a flood in 1496. In 1695, a statuary with the motive of Lamenting of Christ was installed here by Jan Brokoff, but has been moved to the Monastery of Gracious Nurses under the Petřín hill in Prague and replaced by the current sculpture in 1859.

• 3-R: Statuary of St. Crucifix and Calvary (sousoší Kříže s Kalvárií)
  One of the most historically interesting sculptures on the bridge, gradually gaining its present appearance throughout many centuries. The original wooden crucifix was installed at this place soon after 1361 and probably destroyed by the Hussites in 1419. A new crucifix with a wooden corpus was erected in 1629 but was again severely damaged during the fights with Swedes in 1648 (the remnants of Christ's head can be found in the lapidarium of the National Museum in Prague). Another wooden Calvary was installed there but as it soon began to disrupt, it was finally replaced with a metal corpus in 1657 (bought in Dresden, this crucifix has been made much earlier, in 1629 by H. Hillger according to a design of W. E. Brohn). In 1666, two lead figures were added, but replaced in 1861 by the present sandstone statues of Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist by Emanuel Max.

The controversial golden hebrew writing appeared in 1696 on the crucifix. It was placed there as a penalty for a Prague Jew, Eliass Backoffen, who was convicted of debasing the Holy Cross. It says "Holy, holy, holy is our Lord of the Multitude" - words of the Prophet Isaiah - which is a very important confession of faith in the Jewish tradition and its placement in such context is perceived by them as offensive. The improper court proceedings were supposed to support the humiliation of the Jewish community. A bronze table with an explanation text in Czech, English and Hebrew has been mounted under the statuary by the city of Prague authorities in 2000.

• 4-L: Statue of St. Joseph (socha sv. Josefa)
  By Josef Max from 1854, sponsored by Josef Bergmann, a tradesman in Prague. It depicts St. Joseph, leading small Christ, both situated on top of a pseudo-gothic base. Originally, a statue with the same motive by Jan Brokoff from 1706 stood here, but was damaged by the cannonade during the revolution in 1848.

• 4-R: Statue of St. Anne (socha sv. Anny)
  By Matěj Václav Jäckel from 1707 at the expense of count Rudolf of Lisov, the hetman of the New Town of Prague. Presented is St. Anne, together with Virgin Mary as a young girl, of whom she was the mother.

• 5-L: Statuary of St. Francis Xavier (sousoší Františka Xaverského)
  A replica from 1913 by Čeňek Vosmík of the original sculpture by Ferdinand Brokoff from 1711 built by the commission of the faculty of theology and philosophy of Charles University. The original sculpture fell down into the river during the disastrous floods in 1890 and nowadays can be seen in the lapidarium of the National Museum in Prague. It depicts a group of Indian and Japanese princes baptized by the saint, who is holding a crucifix.

• 5-R: Statuary of St. Cyril and St. Methodius (sousoší sv. Cyrila a Metoděje)
  By Karel Dvořák from between 1928 and 1939, erected by the Ministry of education. It shows the two saints (missionaries who introduced Christianity to the Slavs) gospelizing and baptizing the pagan Slavs. The original statue of St. Ignatius by Ferdinand Brokoff from 1711 fell into the river during the floods in 1890 and has been exhibited in the Prague lapidarium.

• 6-L: Statue of St. Christopher (socha sv. Kryštofa)
  By Emanuel Max from 1857, sponsored by Václav Wanek, the Prague portreeve. Presented is the saint holding Christ as a boy on his shoulder. The count Antonín Sporck wanted to build a marble statue to tribute to Charles VI in 1720 (for which a draft had already been made by Matthias Braun) but this plan was not realized.

• 6-R: Statue of St. John the Baptist (socha sv. Jana Křtitele)
  By Josef Max from 1857 at the expenses of Jan Norbert Gemerich of Neuberk. Depicted is the saint, standing and blessing. Originally there was a statue by Jan Brokoff - statuary of Christening of the Lord - from 1706 that was damaged in 1848 and moved to the Prague lapidarium.

Between this statue and the next one, there is a bronze plate set in the balustrade, to commemorate the place where Saint John of Nepomuk has allegedly been thrown into the river.

• 7-L: Statuary of St. Francis Borgia (sousoší sv. Františka Borgiáše)
  By Ferdinand Brokoff from 1710 as a commission of the emperor burgrave František z Colletů. A sculpture in the shape of a triangle, presenting St. Borgia (a Jesuit priest) in a spiritual connection with two angels holding his attributes.

• 7-R: Statuary of Saints Saint Norbert, Wenceslas and Sigismund (sousoší sv. Norberta, Václava a Zikmunda)
  Made by Josef Max in 1853. Built by the Strahov Monastery abbot, Dr. Jeroným Zeidler. Originally there was a statuary of Saints Norbert, Adrian and Jacob by Jan Brokoff (1708). It was replaced by another sculpture by Ignác Platzer older in 1765. Today, both original plastics are missing.

• 8-L: Statue of St. Ludmilla (socha sv. Ludmily)
  The exact date and author are not known, it is though supposed, concerning the style, that the statue has been created by Matthias Braun around 1730. It was set on the bridge in 1784 to replace the statue of St. Wenceslas that was damaged during the floods in that year. Depicted is St. Ludmilla teaching his grand-child, St. Wenceslas. On the base there is a relief of murdering St. Wenceslas.

• 8-R: Statue of St. John of Nepomuk (socha sv. Jana Nepomuckého)
  The oldest statue on the Bridge. The original clay design was made by the Austrian sculptor Matthias Rauchmüller according to a wooden model by Jan Brokoff. The statue has been then bronz-casted by Volfgang Jeroným Heroldt in Nuremburg as an order of Matěj, the free sir Wunschwitz. The saint is presented in a traditional way - as a bearded capitulary with a five-star glory, standing on a tripartite base, on which are presented: on the left the confession of Queen Johanna and on the right the throwing of St. John of Nepomuk down the Charles Bridge into the river and drowning him, an event that took place in 1393. Today, visitors often touch the two places for luck and to ensure that they return to Prague sometimes again.

• 9-L: Statue of St. Francis of Assisi (socha sv. Františka Serafinského)
  By Emanuel Max from 1855, donated by count František Antonín Kolowrat Liebsteinský. St. Francis is standing, along with two neoclassic angels, on top of a pseudo-baroque base. The sculpture replaced a similarly composed earlier statuary from 1708 by František Preis erected by count Václav Vojtěch of Šternberk.

• 9-R: Statue of St. Anthony of Padua (socha sv. Antonína Paduánského)
  By Jan Oldřich Mayer from 1707 built by Krištof Mořice Withauer, councilor of the Prague Castle burgraviate. Presented is the Saint holding Jesus, between two vases, with the right-hand one showing reliefs from the Saint's legend.

• 10-L: Statuary of Saints Vincent Ferrer and Procopius (sousoší sv. Vincence Ferrarského a sv. Prokopa)
  One of the most important pieces on the bridge, by Ferdinand Brokoff from 1712 at the expenses of Romedius Josef František, the count Thun and lord of Choltice. At the edge of the pedestal there are busts of a Turk, a devil and a Jew accompanied by in-scripted numbers showing how many of the three Saint Vincent converted to Christian faith. He is on the left, with a coffin of a resurrected dead and a kneeing penitent sinner by his legs. Saint Procopius standing on a devil on the right.

• Statue of Bruncvík (Roland)
  Behind the above statuary, on the ridge of the 10th pillar, stands the statue of Bruncvík (a mythical knight helping a lion fight a seven-head dragon), made by Ludvík Šimek in 1884, sponsored by the City of Prague. The knight Bruncvík is holding a golden sword, with a lion laying by his legs. Originally, there was a statue of Roland placed here in 1502, to remind the passers-by the rights of the Old Towners, especially the right to take tolls and duty. The statue was damaged by the cannonade during the attack of the Swedes in 1648.

• 10-R: Statue of St. Jude Thaddeus (socha sv. Juda Tadeáše)
  A somewhat static sculpture of the Saint holding a rod by Jan Oldřich Mayer from 1708, paid by František Sezima, the knight Mitrovský from Nemyšle and at Jeřichovice.

• 11-L: Statue of St. Nicholas of Tolentino (socha sv. Mikuláše Tolentinského)
  By Jan Bedřich Kohl from 1708 at the expenses of the augustinian convent by St. Thomas in Prague. The saint is standing on a simple base, together with an angel holding his attribute, a basket of bread.

• 11-R: Statue of St. Augustine (socha sv. Augustina)
  By Jan Bedřich Kohl from 1708 at the expenses of the augustinian convent by St. Thomas in Prague. The philosopher is depicted holding a book (a sign of debasement of disbelievers) and a burning heart and followed by an angel trying to pour the sea out of a sea-shell.

• 12-L: Statue of St. Luthgard (socha sv. Luitgardy)
  Probably the most valuable piece of art on the bridge. Made by Matthias Braun in 1710 as a commission of Evžen Tyttl, the abbot of the cistercian monastery in Plasy. It presents the Saint that, while praying, dreamed of Christ freed himself of the crucifix and let her kiss his wounds. The statue cost 1200 golden at that time.

• 12-R: Statue of St. Cajetan (socha sv. Kajetána)
  By Ferdinand Brokoff from 1709, built by the former convent of Theatins in Prague. The Saint (the founder of the religious order of Theatins) holding a book is standing in front of an obelisk representing the Trinity, covered by clouds and angel heads topped by a depiction of a heart.

• 13-L: Statue of St. Adalbert (socha sv. Vojtěcha)
  Made by Michael Brokoff in cooperation with his brother Ferdinand in 1709, sponsored by Markus Bernard Joanelli, the councilor of the Old Town of Prague. The Saint with a prelate stick developing into a sea paddle is standing on a base decorated with angels and the donor emblem.

• 13-R: Statue of St. Philip Benitius (socha sv. Filipa Benicia)
  By Michal Bernard Mandl from 1714, made from the Salzburg marble, donated by the Servites convent in Prague. St. Pihlip Benitius, the fifth general of the Servites, is holding a cross, a book and a spray. By his legs there is the Pope crown to remind his election by the Pope in 1268. A clay model of this statue can be found in the Salzburg museum.

• 14-L: Statuary of Saints John of Matha, Felix of Valois, and Ivan (sousoší sv. Jana z Mathy, Felixe z Valois a Ivana)
  The most spacious and expensive sculpture on the bridge, made by Ferdinand Brokoff in 1714, sponsored by František Josef Thun, the lord of Klášterec nad Ohří. It has been built to honour the two founders of the Trinitarian order, the order that supervised buying back and redeeming of christians in captivity under non-believers. St. Ivan, the saint patron of Slavs, with typical Russian physiognomy, is added to the two for unknown reasons. The base is formed by a cave in which three chained christians are praying to the Lord for salvage. Next to the grilled window, a Turk guard is standing - this is one of the most popular statues on the bridge. Above the window, there is a cartus depicting an angel freeing two prisoners, held by St. Felix in one hand, the other reaching down to help the freed christian. St. John is standing above the Turk, together with a deer, the vision of which was the impetus for founding the order.

• 14-R: Statuary of St. Vitus (socha sv. Víta)
  By Ferdinand Brokoff from 1714, donated by Matěj Vojtěch Macht of Löwenmacht, the dean of the Vyšehrad canonry. St. Vitus is standing on a base in the shape of a system of caves, from which lions climb up. The Saint, dressed as a Roman soldier and wearing a princely hat is depicted as a Roman aristocrat martyred for his faith. Duke Wenceslas acquired some of his relics (the shoulder) and to honor it he founded the St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle. The relics together with others, gained by Charles IV in 1355 are imbedded in the cathedral.

• 15-L: Statue of St. Wenceslas (socha sv. Václava)
  By Karel Böhm from 1858 based on the design by Josef Kamil Führing, sponsored by the Institute of blind at Klárov, Prague. Until 1822, various little shops stood on the place.

• 15-R: Statuary of Saints Salvator with Cosmas and Damian (sousoší sv. Salvatora se sv. Kosmou a Damiánem)
  By Jan Oldřich Mayer from 1709, at the expense of the faculty of medicine, University of Prague. It is formed by three isolated statues, St. Salvator in the middle and the two patron saints of medicine aside.

External links

• Pictures of all statues (http://www.karluv-most.cz/bridge_03.htm) (and information in Czech)