Prague · Old Town and the Jewish Quarter
Charles Bridge
A stone bridge from the fourteenth century, closed to cars and lined with statues. It is free and open at any hour, and it links the Old Town with Lesser Town.
- 45 min
- Free
- Booking: not needed
- Old Town and the Jewish Quarter
Data checked on October 5, 2026
Charles IV laid the foundation stone in 1357, and the bridge was finished in the early fifteenth century. It is 516 metres long and rests on 16 arches. Thirty statues and groups stand on the balustrade, most of them carved between 1706 and 1714. Cars stopped using it in 1965, so it is now a pedestrian crossing with a tower at each end.
What to look for
- The statue of St John of Nepomuk, the oldest on the bridge
- The Old Town Bridge Tower and its carved front
- The Lesser Town Bridge Towers at the far end
- The view of the Castle from the middle arches
Opening hours
Always open.
Open at all times. The two towers at the ends are separate sights with their own hours.
Source: Prague City Tourism, checked October 5, 2026
Tickets and booking
Free. Free to walk at any time.
Getting there
Metro A to Staroměstská, then about ten minutes on foot to the Old Town Bridge Tower.
Tip
Cross at sunrise or after dark. From mid morning the deck is a slow crowd of tour groups and street sellers.