Kings, a saint and a kingfisher
On the east face, Charles IV and his son Wenceslas IV sit on either side of St Vitus, with Saints Adalbert and Sigismund above them. Look for the kingfisher, Wenceslas IV's symbol, carved among the decorations.
Urban Tales › Prague › Old Town Bridge Tower
Old Town Bridge Tower: the history, and the kings on the gate
The gate at the Old Town end of Charles Bridge is one of the finest Gothic towers in Europe, and the place where Prague held off a Swedish army. Here's what you're looking at, and what to listen for when you get there.
Finished≈ 1380
ArchitectPeter Parler
Battle1648
Steps to top138
Hear the Old Town Bridge Tower story, in the app's voice
A short preview. The full story plays on its own when you walk up to it with Urban Tales.
Three stories most visitors miss
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2
The 1648 battle
In the last days of the Thirty Years' War, Swedish troops took the castle side of the river and tried to cross. Students and townspeople held the tower; the western face, which took the fire, lost its statues.
3
A gate for coronations
Bohemian kings passed through this gate on their coronation route from the Old Town up to the castle, the Royal Way.
TipStand on the Old Town side, under the gate, and look up at the east face before climbing the 138 steps to the gallery for the view across the bridge to the castle. With Urban Tales running, the tower's story plays as you reach it.
Nearby landmarks
Old Town Bridge Tower: common questions
Who built the Old Town Bridge Tower?
Peter Parler's workshop, for Charles IV; it was finished around 1380.
Can you climb the Old Town Bridge Tower?
Yes, there's a gallery at the top reached by 138 steps, with a ticket.
Who are the statues on the Old Town Bridge Tower?
Charles IV and Wenceslas IV with St Vitus, and Saints Adalbert and Sigismund above.