Charles Bridge: Medieval Mood

Charles Bridge is not only fascinating to visit during daytime. When it gets dark, the medieval atmosphere is more prevailing. This is one of the best hours to capture some photos with great mood.

As you can see from the photos, the weather was very cloudy. That added more mood to the photos but it was very windy. Luckily I had a sturdy tripod with me that I didn't regret lugging it around.

By the time it got dark, raindrops started to drop on my head. I didn't quit but drawn my umbrella out of my backpack and kept on shooting in the rain. The wet cobble-stone pavement rendered the mood even better! Sometimes, it takes bad weather to get good pictures.

Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren

Location: Home
Date taken: 5^th November 2011
Camera equipment: Nikon D300 + Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8D + Nikon Speedlight SB-800 + Nissin Speedlite Di622

Charles Bridge: Life

Everyday, thousands of tourists swarm to Charles Bridge to have a piece of the oldest masonry bridge in the Eastern Europe. Therefore, the bridge turns into a bustling bazaar full of life since daybreak.

It is almost every tourist's ritual to walk across the bridge at least once on a visit to Prague. I walked across it many times. The cobble-stone pavement makes every walk feels like walking in the medieval time, even more so with the Tourist Information Centre staff walking to an fro on the bridge.

The bridge is also a good vantage point to observe other sights around Prague, especially the Prague Castle. It is also a good spot to do people watching.

A visit to Prague is never complete without a walk across Charles Bridge. Although it can get very busy during the peak tourist hour, it is filled with so much fun rubbing shoulders with people from all around the world. However, beware of pickpockets as they work day and night on the bridge.

Charles Bridge: The Statues

There are thirty statues lining the balustrades of Charles Bridge; fifteen on the north side and another fifteen on the south side. It can take up a considerable amount of time if you wanna observe them in detail.

St. Ivo of Kermartin

Madonna with St. Bernard

Madonna with Aquinas and St. Dominic

Saints Barbara, Margaret and Elizabeth

17^th century Crucifixion

Pietà

St. Anne with Madonna and Child

St. Joseph

Saints Cyril and Methodius

St. John the Baptist

St. Christopher

St. Francis Borgia

St. Ludmilla

The statue of St. John of Nepomuk is the most celebrated of all the statues on Charles Bridge. He was thrown into Vltava River from Charles Bridge at the behest of Wenceslas IV. There are two bronze plagues beneath the statue depicting his life. Tradition has it that it you rub the plagues, you are bound to return to Prague. I rubbed it during my first trip seven years ago, and I was there again this year to take this photo!

St. John of Nepomuk

St. Francis Seraphinus of Assisi

St. Anthony of Padua

St. Jude Thaddaeus

Saints Vincent Ferrer and Procopius

St. Augustine

St. Nicholas of Tolentino

St. Cajetan

The Vision of St. Luitgard

St. Philip Benizi

St. Adalbert

Saints John of Matha, Felix of Valois and Ivan

St. Vitus

I have taken photos of twenty-six out of the thirty statues. The missing four are for you to find out yourself. Go visit Prague!