The Grand Hotel Praha is located directly on the historical Royal Route, which also includes the Charles Bridge. The oldest stone bridge across the Vltava River and the second oldest bridge in the Czech Republic is a unique sight from which one can admire the beauty of Old Prague. Thanks to the unique accommodations in the historical center of Prague, you can follow the historical route from Old Town to the Little Quarter (Malá Strana) and Prague's Hradčany in a very short time.
The Charles Bridge was, until the 19th century, the only bridge connecting Vltava's right and left riverbanks. It was built on the order of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV. The construction began in 1357 and was managed by the famous architect Petr Parléř. According to legend, eggs were added to the mortar to help the bridge be strong and endure the pressure of eventual flooding. In 2008, the experts found, during research, that eggs were, in fact, added to the mortar when building this bridge and that this legend is true.
The bridge is decorated with three extraordinary towers. Above the first pillar from the Old Town side, there is the Old Town Tower, which is considered to be the most beautiful gothic gate in Europe. There are small and large Little Quarter Bridge Towers at the Little Quarter's side. However, the most important decorations on the bridge are the sculptures and sculptural groups, which form a unique gallery.
The baroque sculptures are from the early 18th century and picture mainly the patron saints. They are from the workshops of the famous sculptors Matyáš Braun and Maxmilián Brokoff. One of the most interesting sculptures is the sculpture of the mythical Czech Knight Bruncvík, standing separately on a bridge pillar. It replaced the original sculpture which was ordered by the Old Town to demonstrate its rights to the bridge. The absolute majority of the sculptures were replaced with copies; the originals are stored in the National Museum.
The Charles Bridge is a national cultural monument and forms an unforgettable part of Prague's panorama, which you can, due to the proximity of the Grand Hotel Praha, enjoy at any given moment.