Why go

Charles Bridge is the walk everyone takes in Prague, and with good reason. Building began in 1357 under Charles IV, the king and emperor who made Prague one of the great cities of medieval Europe, and the bridge was finished in 1402. For centuries it was simply the Stone Bridge or the Prague Bridge, the only river crossing in the city, and it has carried the name Charles Bridge only since 1870.

The sandstone bridge links the Old Town with Malá Strana, and every step brings a new view: the castle and St Vitus Cathedral above you, the river weirs below, and the domes and towers of both banks. Between 1683 and 1928, 30 statues of saints were added along its parapets, turning it into what Prague City Tourism calls an open-air temple. Musicians, painters and souvenir sellers fill the bridge by day, and at dusk the lamps and the floodlit castle make it one of the most romantic walks in Europe.

What to see

  • The Old Town Bridge Tower. One of the finest Gothic towers anywhere, built by Peter Parler’s workshop. Climb 138 steps to the gallery for a view along the bridge to the castle.
  • The Lesser Town Bridge Towers. A pair of towers at the Malá Strana end, linked by a gate; a combined ticket covers both bridge towers.
  • St John of Nepomuk. The most famous statue on the bridge, marking the saint who, according to legend, was thrown into the river from here.
  • The view of Kampa. Look down from the Malá Strana end onto Kampa Island and the little Čertovka channel with its water wheel.

Plan your visit

The bridge is free and open at all hours. The best times are early morning, ideally before 8am, and late evening, when the crowds thin and the lamps come on. From late morning to sunset it is one of the busiest places in the city, so keep a hand on your bag.

The Old Town Bridge Tower costs 250 CZK for adults, 170 CZK reduced, 200 CZK for visitors aged 16 to 26 and 500 CZK for a family. A combined ticket for both bridge towers is 340 CZK, and tickets are half price during the first hour after opening. In November the tower opens from 10am to 6pm, in December until 7.30pm, and in summer from 9am to 8.30pm, with shorter hours on 24 and 31 December. Prague City Tourism sells tickets at the tower and online; it warns that tickets from other channels may not be valid. Prices change from 1 March 2027. The tower has no lift and is not step-free.

Allow half an hour to cross slowly and take photos, or an hour with the tower climb. Trams stop at Karlovy lázně near the Old Town end.

Nearby

The Klementinum is a two-minute walk from the Old Town end, and Old Town Square about ten minutes further. On the Malá Strana side, Kampa Island and St Nicholas Church are a few minutes away, and the climb to Prague Castle starts from there.