The Old Town Bridge Tower or simply the Old Town Tower (Staroměstská mostecká věž) is one of the symbols of Prague and one of the most impressive Gothic buildings in Europe.
There is an observation deck at the top of the tower.
The Old Town Tower is located in the historical center of Prague, in the Stare Mesto district / Old Town) and is a high integral part and decoration of the famous Charles Bridge (Karlów most).
View of the Old Town Tower from Karlova Street (Karlova ulice) Prague Old Town
The tower, together with the Charles Bridge, was built in the middle of the 14th century according to the project of Peter Parlerge by Emperor Charles IV.
The tower was erected as a fortification, but also as a kind of representative triumphal arch, which could previously be closed and through which, and then over the Charles Bridge, the Czech kings passed the coronation way (The Royal Way), established by Charles IV.
Most likely, the construction of the tower was completed in the 1370s-1380s.
During its history, the tower was restored, and the sandstone statues that were located on the tower were removed in 1972 and replaced with concrete replicas. The originals were placed in the exposition of the National Gallery, from where, after its restoration in 1978, they moved to the lapidarium The National Museum of Prague. In turn, the concrete replicas on the tower were replaced by sandstone replicas in 2006.
Today, this Gothic Prague masterpiece still towers over the first pillar of the Charles Bridge, as it did many years ago. The tower has the shape of a three-story prism with a loophole and a high hipped roof. On the south side of the tower there is a prismatic extension with a staircase and its own roof, which leads to the tower.
The height of the tower is about 47 meters, 57 meters above the surface of the Vltava, and the height of the roof with a gallery is about 18 meters.
View of the Old Town Bridge Tower from Charles Bridge
The voluminous sculptural decor on the Old Town Bridge Tower has been preserved on the eastern wall of the tower (from the side of Krzhizhovnitskaya Square). Small decorations can also be seen on the western side of the tower (from the side of the Charles Bridge).
On the facade of the tower, large statues of sitting Charles IV and his son Wenceslaus IV are striking, between which there is a sculpture of St. Vitus, the patron saint of the bridge. To the left of St. Vitus is the coat of arms of the Czech Kingdom, and to the right is the Holy Roman Empire. Above St. Vitus there is a coat of arms with a Moravian eagle, above which there is a sculpture of a lion. Above the lion sculpture are statues of Saints Adalbert and Sigmund.
Also on the tower are the coats of arms of the cities of the lands of the Czech crown, ruled by Charles IV; the struggle of the lion with the snake, the battle of the eagle with the griffin and other ornaments are depicted. The griffin was born from the union of a lion and an eagle, and this symbolism is indicated in an interesting way on the tower: in the triangular pediment above the statue of St. Vita is the eagle of St. Wenceslaus, above which there is a Czech lion on the console. On the feast of St. Vita (June 15) the shadow of the lion's head falls on the eagle's chest, which also symbolically confirms the connection between Bohemia and Moravia.
In the decorations of the tower, a kingfisher with a dowry (a towel tied in a knot - the emblem of the Lazebnica Guild), which was the symbol of Wenceslaus IV, is also noteworthy. The kingfisher is also a symbol of the human soul, it is said to be able to protect against lightning, multiply hidden treasures and calm the storm.
The passage of the Old Town Tower Gate, made in the form of a Gothic arch, has a width of 8 meters. The remains of a Gothic painting painted by Peter Meixner in 1877-78 are preserved in the cross vault of the arch.
Observation deck and interiors of the Old Town Bridge Tower
An entrance leads from the arched passage to the tower, where a spiral staircase with 138 steps leads to the gallery of the tower, which today is an observation deck with panoramic views of the Vltava River, Charles Bridge and part of the historical center of Prague.
The ascent to the observation deck is paid. The ticket office is located in the tower.
The tower's interiors, including the staircase, cellars and gallery, are Gothic masterpieces in their own right.
The column, around which the tower's internal staircase winds, ends at the top with a statue of the builder of the tower from the 1950s. There used to be a police station on the ground floor of the tower, from where an iron grating lowered the gate. On the second floor, which served as a prison for debtors from wealthy families, the neo-Gothic ceiling, designed by architect Jan Scheble, has been preserved since 1880. The stained glass windows of the tower were created by Jiri Bink.
Practical information
On the opposite side of the Charles Bridge from the Old Town Tower are Malostranskie bridge towers (Malostranská mostecká věž), one of which also has an observation deck.
Address of the Old Town Bridge Tower: Karlów most, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech Republic.
Coordinates of the Old Town Bridge Tower: 50°05'10.0"N 14°24'49.0"E (50.086111, 14.413611).
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