Charles Bridge, Prague

List of statues

SOUTH side of the bridge

S-1. Charles Bridge, statue of Saint Ivo, Ivo of Kermartin, or Saint Ivo Hélory

Charles Bridge, statue of Saint Ivo

St. Ivo, lawyer, priest and defender of the unjustly oppressed and unjustly judged poor, here depicted in a contemporary robe and cap, leans from a high cylindrical pedestal towards the figures of a widow with a child and an old man, who are lamenting at his feet.

Saint Ivo is the patron saint of judges, lawyers, notaries, parish priests, turners, the poor, especially orphans and abandoned children, and last but not least of Brittany. He is depicted wearing a judge's robe with scrolls in his hand and a rope, surrounded by the poor.
His love for his fellow-man earned him the sobriquet of „Advocate of the Poor.“

The donor of the statue, Charles Bridge:
The statue of  St. Ivo for Charles Bridge was the Faculty of Law of Charles University in Prague. The faculty was represented by Václav Jan of Kriegelstein, Dean and Rector of the University.

Author of the statue of St. Ivo , Charles Bridge:
The statue of St. Ivo is the work of Matthias Bernard Braun for Charles Bridge.
When the statue of St. Ivo was created:   1711 (copy 1908)
Saint Ivo life dates:  1253 - 1303 


S-2. Charles Bridge, Statues of Saints Barbara, Margaret and Elizabeth

Charles Bridge, Statues of Saints Barbara, Margaret and Elizabeth

Sculptural group of Saint Barbara of Nicomedia, St. Margaret of Antioch and Saint Elisabeth of Thuringia (also of Hungary). The individual characters of the crowned saints are conceived completely separately, they are not yet connected in one plot unit.

St. Barbara, standing on the elevated central part of the three-part plinth, is holding a martyr's palm branch in her left hand and a chalice with a gilded sacred host in her right hand, testifying to her Christian faith. The tower at her feet is a symbol of the prison she was thrown into before her beheading for her religious beliefs.

St. Margaret of Antioch, also Margaret the Virgin, who refused to marry a pagan during her lifetime and thus renounce her faith, is depicted on the left side of the sculpture with her foot resting on a dragon, the symbol of the Devil. She supposedly miraculously overcame the devil, thus escaping certain death. She clutches a gilded cross in her clasped hands, her gaze fixed devoutly on heaven.

St. Elizabeth of Thuringia was the daughter of the King of Hungary and a cousin of St. Agnes of Bohemia. Widowed at a young age. In her left hand she holds a scepter, the symbol of her noble birth, with her left hand she hands bread to a beggar squatting on the pedestal at her feet. Elizabeth joined the secular Order of St. Francis and devoted the rest of her short life to caring for the poor sick, Elizabeth entered the Secular Order of St. Francis and devoted the rest of her short life to caring for the poor and sick. She founded a hospital for the poor in Marburg.

The donor of the statue, Charles Bridge:
Sculptural group was commissioned by the Imperial Council of Jan Václav F. Obytecký.
Author of the statue, Charles Bridge:
The work was created in the workshop of Prague sculptor Jan Brokoff.
When the statues of Saints Barbara, Margaret and Elizabeth was created: 1707
Characters life dates: 
Saint Barbara of Nicomedia: 3rd century
St. Margaret of Antioch: 289 - 304
Saint Elisabeth of Thuringia: 1207 - 1231


S-3. Charles Bridge, Statue of Pieta or Statue of the Lamentation of Christ

Charles Bridge, Statue of Pieta

Under the bronze cross, which mirrors the cross of the opposite Calvary sculpture, a trio of figures mourns the dead body of Christ taken down from the cross. The upper half of Christ's lifeless body rests on the lap of the seated Virgin Mary, while the kneeling Mary Magdalene kisses Christ's lifeless right hand. In the middle of the composition of figures is the standing figure of the mourning St. John the Evangelist
On the pedestal of the statue is a Latin inscription, translated, "Oh all you who pass by, look and see if there is any pain like my pain."

The donor of the statue of Pieta, Charles Bridge:
The sculpture was commissioned by the Prague municipality and the funds for its execution were raised in a public collection.
Author of the statue, Charles Bridge:
The work was created in the workshop of Prague sculptor Jan Brokoff.
Author of the statue of Pieta, Charles Bridge:
The statue Pieta is the work of Max Emanuel.
Characters life dates: 
St. John the Evangelist, Mary Magdalene life dates: 1st century
Virgin Mary life date: 18 BC


S-4. Charles Bridge, Statue of Saint Joseph

Charles_Bridge, Statue of Saint Joseph

Saint Joseph stands with one foot on a beam, holding a lily in his hand. Jesus holds a scroll in his left hand and blesses with his right hand.
 
Joseph was betrothed to the Virgin Mary, but before they began to live together, it turned out that she had conceived a child. Joseph was righteous, so he wanted to break up with her secretly to spare her the shame. But an angel appeared to him and told him that he should take Mary to himself because the child to be born was conceived of the Holy Spirit and would be called Jesus, that is, "God is salvation."

The donor of the statue Saint Joseph, Charles Bridge:
The donor of Saint Joseph statue was the Prague merchant Josef Bergmann.
Author of the statue Saint Joseph, Charles Bridge:
The statue of Saint Joseph is the work of Calasanza Max Josef.
When the Statue Saint Joseph was created: AD 1854
Characters life dates: 
St. John the Evangelist, Mary Magdalene life dates: 1st century
Saint Joseph life dates: 30 BC - AD 20 


S-5. Charles Bridge, Statue of Saint Francis Xavier

Charles_Bridge, Statue of St. Francis Xavier

The sculpture depicts the prominent Jesuit missionary on a stone slab, carried by four allegorical figures representing the "humbled" pagan "nations" among whom Francis Xaversky worked during his missionary activity, and thus contributed to their Christianization. On the left is the figure of Tartar with two swords, on the right is the Mouryen, and behind them on the left is the Chinese, and on the right is the figure of the Indian. In the upper part of the sculpture, a figure of a pagan king asking for baptism kneels in front of the standing figure of St. Francis Xavier, while the younger of the pair of young men kneeling in the right part of the sculpture brings a baptismal shell.

The donor of the statue Saint Francis Xavier, Charles Bridge:
The commissioner of the statue was the Jesuit Order and the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy of Charles-Ferdinand University.
Author of the statue Saint Francis Xavier, Charles Bridge:
Original sculpture was created in the workshop of Prague sculptor Jan Brokoff. The sculptor Čeněk Vosmík is the author of today's copy, which was installed on the site of the collapsed sculpture.
When the Statue Saint Francis Xavier was created:  1711 ( copy 1912 )
Saint Francis Xavier life dates:  1506 - 1552


S-6. Charles Bridge, Statue of Saint Christopher

Charles_Bridge, Statue of Saint Christopher

On the statue is the figure of a saint walking with Jesus on his left shoulder through the water, leaning heavily on a twisted staff. According to legend, St. Christopher was huge in stature and carried people across a swift river.
St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers, drivers and swimmers and protector during storms and floods.

The donor of the statue Saint Christopher, Charles Bridge:
The commissioner of the statue of St. Christopher for the Charles Bridge was the Prague Mayor Václav Wanka. Funds for the statue were raised in a public collection.
Author of the statue Saint Christopher, Charles Bridge:
The sculpture was made by Prague sculptor Emanuel Max.
When the Saint Christopher was created: 1857
St. Christopher life dates:  3rd century


S-7. Charles Bridge, Statue of St. Francis Borgia

Charles_Bridge, Statue of St. Francis Borgia

The Jesuit Saint Francis looks down from the elevated central part of the three-part plinth, his right hand on his chest in a gesture of humility. The left, seated angel holds in his lap an oval cartouche with a relief of the Madonna and Child Jesus, while the right, standing angel, looking directly at the saint, raises a medallion with a monstrance.
The naturalistic skull on the pedestal is a symbol of vanitas, the transience of everything earthly.
In the spiritual sphere St. Francis Borgia was a devotee of the cult of the Virgin Mary, a distributor of copies of miraculous images and a supporter of lay Marian associations.

The donor of the statue Saint Francis Borgia, Charles Bridge:
The commissioner of the sculpture was the imperial purgrave and rentmaster in Vienna's New Town, Francis of Collet.
Author of the statue Saint Francis Borgia, Charles Bridge:
The work was created by sculptor Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff. The sculpture was replaced in 2017 by a copy by sculptor Jiří Kačer.
When the Saint Francis Borgia was created:  1709  ( copy 2017 )
St. Francis Borgia life dates:  1510 – 1572


S-8.  Charles Bridge, Statue of Saint Ludmila

Charles_Bridge, Statue of Saint Ludmila

The scene symbolically shows Ludmila teaching her little grandson to read from a book. Belonging to the ruling family is symbolized by crowns. The little monarch is holding a Bible in his hands, behind him is a shield with a Premyslid eagle. Putto, sitting in the right part of the sculpture, holds a representation of the medieval Palladium of the Bohemian land from the pilgrimage church in Stará Boleslav.
Ludmila is usually depicted with her scarf. All the chronicles emphasise the conflict between the grandmother Ludmila and the mother Drahomíra, which concerned the upbringing of the young prince „W“ and which was to result in Ludmila's murder at Tetín. It is said that Ludmilla was strangled with her scarf by the companions of Princess Drahomíra.

The donor of the statue Saint Ludmila, Charles Bridge:
After a flood in 1784, the statue was moved to Charles Bridge from the ramp of Prague Castle.
Author of the statue Saint Ludmila, Charles Bridge:
The statue was created by Matthias Bernard Braun. Since 1999, a copy by sculptors Jan and Marcela Kačer has been installed in place of the original.
When the Saint Ludmila statue was created:  1720  ( copy 1999 )
Saint Ludmila life dates:  860 – 921


S-9. Charles Bridge, Statue of Francis of Assisi

Charles_Bridge, Statue of Francis of Assisi

Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscan Order is depicted in a simple religious habit, a habit girded with a cinguelle with three knots. On his hands and in his side are visible stigmata, traces of the mystical experience through which Francis experienced the pain of Christ dying on the Cross.

The donor of the statue Saint Francis of Assisi, Charles Bridge:
The commissioner of the statue of St. Francis of Assisi for Charles Bridge was Václav Vojtěch of Šternberk. The new work commissioned by Count František Libštejnský of Kolowrat.
Author of the statue Saint Francis of Assisi, Charles Bridge:
The new work was executed by the sculptor Emanuel Max ( 1855 )
When the Francis of Assisi statue was created:  1708 ( new 1855 )
Saint Francis of Assisi life dates:  1182 - 1226


S-10. Charles Bridge, Statue of Saints Vincent Ferrer and Procopius

Charles_Bridge, Statue of Saints Vincent Ferrer and Procopius

The theme of the Devil's humiliation allowed the sculptor to combine in one sculpture the depiction of the Bohemian patron saint, hermit and founder of the Sázava monastery, St. Prokop, and the Spanish Dominican preacher St. Vincent Ferrer.
At the top, standing to the left, is the elevated figure of St. Vincent Ferrer, with his left hand raised in a gesture of blessing as he drives the Devil from the possessed man (a sinner with a pitted hand.) kneeling at his feet. At the same time he is crossing the dead man (the Skeleton) lying in the coffin below.
On the right, on the back of the huddled Devil, with a cross on his breast and a crutch in his right hand, is the figure of St. Procopius. People are said to have seen St. Procopius with the Devil harnessed to a plough and driving him with a cross. This is depicted on the relief below the sculpture. Closer to St. Procopius lies the figure of a leper.
The statue in the decoration of the pedestal is supported by a trio of heraldic figures, a half-figure of a humiliated Turk, a Jew and a devil.

The donor of the statue Saints Vincent Ferrer and Procopius, Charles Bridge:  The statue was created at the expense of Count Romedius Joseph František Thun.
Author of the statue Saints Vincent Ferrer and Procopius, Charles Bridge:
The sculpture was created by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff.
When the Saints Vincent Ferrer and Procopius statue was created:
1712, ( copy 2023 )
Characters life dates: 
St. Vincent Ferrer: 1350 - 1419   /    St. Procopius: 970 - 1053


S-11. Charles Bridge, Statue of St. Nicholas of Tolentino

Charles_Bridge, Statue of St. Nicholas of Tolentino

St Nicholas is dressed in the vestments of a religious order, accompanied by a putto holding on his shoulder the loaf of bread that St Nicholas distributes.
According to legend, St. Nicholas of Tolentino performed many miracles. He is revered as a preacher and miracle worker. This is why he is sometimes confused with Saint Nicholas of Myra (fourth-century Christian saint), because some of the miracles attributed to both are identical.

The donor of the statue Nicholas of Tolentino, Charles Bridge:
The statue was commissioned by the Augustinians from St. Thomas in Lesser Town.
Author of the statue Saints Nicholas of Tolentino, Charles Bridge:
The statue was sculpted by Jeroným Kohl, the copy by Jan Jiříkovský.
When the Saints Nicholas of Tolentino statue was created:  1708 ( copy 1969 )
St. Nicholas of Tolentino life dates:  1245 - 1305


S-12. Charles Bridge, Statue of St. Lutgardis ( Dream of St. Luitgard )

Charles_Bridge, Statue of St. Lutgardis

The sculpture depicts the mystical experience (dream-vision) of the blind Flemish nun Luitgard. The crucified Christ leans towards her and wraps his relaxed right arm around the neck of the ecstatic saint, who is about to kiss the bleeding wound on his side. The pair are surrounded by puffs and assisting angels.

The donor of the Statue of St. Lutgardis, Charles Bridge:
Sculpture was commissioned by the abbot of the Cistercian monastery in Plasy, Eugen Tyttl
Author of the Statue of St. Lutgardis, Charles Bridge:
The sculpture was created by Matyáš Bernard Braun
When the Saints Lutgardis statue was created:  1710 ( copy 1995 )
Saints Lutgardis life dates:  1182 - 1246


S-13. Charles Bridge, Statue of St. Adalbert of Prague, (sv. Vojtěch in Czech)

Charles_Bridge, Statue of St. Adalbert of Prague

The saint is depicted in the traditional manner, with references to his episcopal rank. With the bent elbow of his left hand, he originally also held the bishop's staff and oar, the symbols of his martyrdom.

The donor of the Statue St. Adalbert of Pragues, Charles Bridge:
The commissioner of the statue of St. Adalbert of Prague, Vojtěch, for Charles Bridge was the Old Town Constable Marek Bernard Joanelli.
Author of the Statue of St. Adalbert of Prague, Charles Bridge:
The author of the statue of  St. Adalbert of Prague for Charles Bridge is Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff.
When the St. Adalbert of Prague statue was created:  1709 ( copy 1973 )
St. Adalbert of Prague life dates:  956 - 997


S-14. Statues of Saints John of Matha, Felix of Valois, and Ivan

Statues of Saints John of Matha, Felix of Valois, and Ivan

The large statue connects the theme of the founders of the Trinitarian Order with St. Ivan (a Czech hermit). To the left of your view, St. John of Mata with broken handcuffs next to St. Ivan (cross, long beard at his feet has a doe hit by an arrow, St. Felix of Valois untying the handcuffs of a captive (third lowest).
The lower part of the sculpture completing the story is depicted as a locked dungeon with Christian prisoners being watched over by a Turkish guard with a dog, armed with reprimands (originally a spear) and a sabre. The deer with a golden cross is a reminder of the legend of the founding of the monastery.
The connection of St. Ivan to the pair of founders of the Trinitarian Order was due to certain similarities in the lives of the saints (the hermit life, the doe and the stag), but above all to the desire of the Old Town community to have Czech patrons represented on the bridge.

The donor of the Statue Saints John of Matha, Felix of Valois, and Ivan, Charles Bridge: The sculpture was commissioned by František Josef Count Thun on behalf of the Prague Trinitarian monastery
Author of the Statue of Saints John of Matha, Felix of Valois, and Ivan, Charles Bridge:   The author of the sculpture is Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff.
When the Saints John of Matha, Felix of Valois, and Ivan statue was created:  1714 ( restored in 2007 )
Characters life dates: 
Saints John of Matha:  1160 - 1213
Felix of Valois:  1127 - 1212
St. Ivan, Hermit of Bohemia:  9th century


S-15.  Statue of St. Wenceslas

Charles Bridge, Statue of St. Wenceslas

Wenceslas (Duke of Bohemia) is on the statue in knightly armour, with a banner and shield, praying for the Czech nation. Saint Wenceslas is the first saint of Czech origin, the symbol of Czech statehood and the patron saint of the Czech lands.  Already in the early Middle Ages, Saint Wenceslas became a symbol of the Přemyslid dynasty and the Czech state.

The donor of the Statue St. Wenceslas, Charles Bridge:
The statue was created on the initiative of Pavel Alois Klár, who was the son of the founder of the Institute for Blind Youth in Klárov.
Author of the Statue of St. Wenceslas, Charles Bridge:
The statue was created by Josef Kamil Böhm.
When the Saints St. Wenceslas statue was created:  1859
St. Wenceslas life dates:  903 - 935

NORTH side of the bridge

N-1. Charles Bridge, Statue of the Madonna attending to St. Bernard, vision of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Statue of the Madonna attending to St. Bernard, vision of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

In the centre of the sculpture, the Virgin Mary stands with the Infant Jesus in her arms, with St. Bernard kneeling on the right in religious habit, the angel in front of him holding the abbot's headdress.
The left part of the sculpture represents the instruments of Christ's Passion, first of all the cross and the "Veronica's Veil" veraikon - a reminder of the legend of Veronica, who gives the tormented Christ a scarf to wipe his face, in which his face is miraculously imprinted. The architectural plinth also includes the column at which Christ was scourged and another arma Christi.
The inscriptional bands at the mouths of St. Bernard and the Virgin originally conveyed a literal dialogue between the two figures, the Madonna responding to Bernard's greeting "AVE MARIA" with the words "SALVE BERNARDE".

The donor of Statue of the Madonna attending to St. Bernard, Charles Bridge:  The commissioner of the statue of the Virgin Mary with St. Bernard for the Charles Bridge was the abbot of the Cistercian monastery in Osek, Benedikt Littwerig.
Author of the Statue of the Madonna attending to St. Bernard, Charles Bridge:  The sculpture was sculpted by the Prague sculptor Matěj Václav Jäckel
When the Statue of the Madonna attending to St. Bernard was created: 1709
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux life dates:  1090 - 1153


N-2. Charles Bridge, Statue of the Madonna, St. Dominic and Thomas Aquinas

Statue of the Madonna, St. Dominic and Thomas Aquinas

The Madonna and Child Jesus, from a high cloudy pile with a globe and a dog with a burning torch in its mouth (the Dominican symbol), bends down to the kneeling founder of the order, St. Dominic. At the saint's feet lie a model of a monastery, an abbot's mitre and books, attributes referring to his founding role in the Order of the Brothers of the Preachers.
To the Madonna's left is the kneeling St. Thomas Aquinas, a prominent Christian thinker, holding an open book in his right hand.
The chain with the shining sun on Thomas's breast symbolizes Truth, the beehive held by the cherub at the saint's feet is a symbol of wisdom.

The donor of Statue of the Madonna, St. Dominic and Thomas Aquinas, Charles Bridge: 
The Order of the Brothers of Preachers (Ordo (fratrum) Praedicatorum), colloquially known as the Dominicans, was the commissioner of the sculpture of the Virgin Mary with St. Dominic and St. Thomas Aquinas for Charles Bridge.
Author of the Statue of he Madonna, St. Dominic and Thomas Aquinas, Charles Bridge:
The sculpture was sculpted by the Prague sculptor Matěj Václav Jäckel.
When the Statue of Madonna, St. Dominic and Thomas Aquinas was created:  1708 ( copy 1961 )
Characters life dates: 
Saint Dominic: 1173 - 1234
Thomas Aquinas: 1225 - 1274


N-3. Charles Bridge, Sculpture of Calvary, The Crucifix with the Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist

Sculpture of Calvary, The Crucifix with the Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist

A bronze cross with the crucified figure of Jesus Christ is set into the hill on which the Jesus was crucified(Golgota). On the sides of the cross with the crucified Jesus stand the Virgin Mary and the Apostle John the Evangelist, who took care of the mother of the Lord Jesus after his death. The gilded inscription above the Crucified dates from 1696 and was paid as a punishment for a Jew who allegedly mocked Christ. It is in Hebrew and means „Holy, Holy, Holy God of Hosts“.
The decorative lamp with an eagle, previously known only from a historical photograph of the sculpture from 1909, was only recently returned to its place.

The donor of Sculpture of Calvary, Charles Bridge:
Originally commissioned by Emperor Ferdinand II.
Author of the Sculpture of Calvary, Charles Bridge:
Bronze corpus of Christ (1657) by Wolf Ernst Brohn, bronze cross (1707), Golgotha by Johann Georg Heermann, statues of Mary and St. John by sculptor Emanuel Max (1861), lamp installed 2019.
When the Sculpture of Calvary was created: 1629 - 1861
Today's form is the result of repeated modifications and changes.
Saint John the Evangelist life dates: 1st century


N-4. Charles Bridge, Statue of Saint Anne

Statue of Saint Anne

Saint Anne is depicted with the little Jesus in her arms, with the little Virgin Mary standing at her feet, whom St. Anne embraces with her left arm around her shoulders. St. Anne is depicted with the little Jesus in her arms, with the little Virgin Mary standing at her feet, whom St. Anne embraces with her left arm around her shoulders. The baby Jesus holds a sphere in his right hand, a symbol of his world domination, and his right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing.

The donor of Statue of Saint Anne, Charles Bridge:
The statue was commissioned by Rudolf Count of Lisov.
Author of the Statue of Saint Anne, Charles Bridge:
The author of the statue is Matěj Václav Jäckel, the copy was made by Vojtěch Adamec and Martin Pokorný.
When the Sculpture of Statue of Saint Anne was created: 1707 ( copy 1999 )
Saint Anne life dates: 60 BC - 1st century


N-5. Charles Bridge, Sculpture of Saint Cyril and St. Methodius

Sculpture of Saint Cyril and St. Methodius

The brothers Cyril and Methodius are depicted as propagators of the faith preaching to the Moravian people. The people are represented by a girl and a couple of young men. Cyril, standing above, holds his right hand raised in a gesture of blessing, while Methodius, standing below, carries a model of the rotunda on his cloth-covered hands, placed on a large book.

The donor of the Sculpture of Saint Cyril and St. Methodius, Charles Bridge:
The creation of the sculpture was financed by the Ministry of Education of the Czechoslovak Republic, the impetus for commissioning the work was the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the independent Czechoslovak state.
Author of the Sculpture of Saint Cyril and St. Methodius, Charles Bridge:
The sculpture was carved by sculptor Karel Dvořák.
When the Sculpture of Saint Cyril and St. Methodius was created:  1928
Characters life dates: 
Saint Cyril: 827 - 869
St. Methodius: 815 - 885


N-6. Charles Bridge, Statue of Saint John the Baptist

Statue of Saint John the Baptist

John the Baptist, patron saint of the Knights of Malta, Burgundy and Provence.
He is dressed only in sheepskin and a cloak. He holds a long iron cross with a bow at the top under his left arm spread across his chest and in the crook of his elbow. The cross in his hand and the shell at his side recall the baptism of Christ.

The donor of the Statue of Saint John the Baptist, Charles Bridge:
The statue was created at the expense of Jan Norbert Gemerich from Neuberk.
Author of the Statue of Saint John the Baptist, Charles Bridge:
The statue was sculpted by sculptor Josef Calasanza Max.
When the Statue of Saint John the Baptist was created: 1855
Saint John the Baptist life dates: 1st century


N-7. Charles Bridge, Statue of Saints Norbert of Xanten, Wenceslas and Sigismund

Statue of Saints Norbert of Xanten, Wenceslas and Sigismund

The three figures of saints are mounted on a pedestal with neo-Gothic architectural articulation. St. Norbert, the founder of the Premonstratensian Order and the patron saint of the Czech lands, stands in a privileged position, above the central raised part of the three-part plinth. St. Wenceslas on his right and St. Sigismund on his left, the Czech patrons of the country, are depicted with the usual attributes.

The donor of the Sculpture of Saint Norbert, Wenceslas and Sigismund, Charles Bridge:
The statue was commissioned by the Abbot of the Premonstratensian Order at Strahov.
Author of the Sculpture of Saint Norbert, Wenceslas and Sigismund, Charles Bridge:
The statue was sculpted by sculptor Josef Calasanza Max.
When the Statue of Saint Norbert, Wenceslas and Sigismund was created: 1853
Characters life dates: 
Saint Norbert:   1082 - 1134
Saint Wenceslas:   907 - 935
Saint Sigismund of Burgundy:   475 - 524


N-8. Charles Bridge, Statue of Saint John of Nepomuk

Statue of Saint John of Nepomuk

The statue is made of bronze. The body of the saint is depicted in a posture with one leg slightly bent. In his right hand he holds a massive crucifix and in his left a martyr's palm branch. The saint's face is moved with emotion and turns slightly upwards, with a gilded halo of five stars around his head. The statue of St. John of Nepomuk was for a long time a model for the way this saint was depicted.
The bronze reliefs on the side parts of the pedestal depict on the left the scene of Queen Joan's confession with Wenceslas IV and the dog in the foreground and on the right the scene of the throwing of St. John into the Vltava River.

The donor of the statue of Saint John of Nepomuk, Charles Bridge:
The commissioner and initiator of the sculpture was Matyáš Bohumír Wunschwitz.
Author of the Statue of Saint John of Nepomuk, Charles Bridge:
The bronze statue was cast by the Nuremberg workshop of Wolfgang Hieronymus Heroldt after a wooden model by Jan Brokoff.
When the Statue of Saint John of Nepomuk was created:  1683
Saint John of Nepomuk life dates:  1345 - 1393


N-9. Charles Bridge, Statue of Saint Anthony of Padua

Statue of Saint Anthony of Padua

Saint Anthony is depicted on the statue as a young monk in religious habit. At the left shoulder of the saint is a little Jesus. Both have a halo. The baby Jesus is standing on a book placed on the sill of the kneeler. The saint's free left leg also rests on the lower part of the kneeler; his right hand originally held a lily flower.
On the sides of the sculpture on the bridge parapet there is a pair of vases with scenes of miracles from the life of Saint Anthony.

The donor of the statue of Saint Anthony of Padua, Charles Bridge:
The commissioner of the statue of St. Anthony of Padua for Charles Bridge was the councillor of the purgatorial court Kryštof Mořic Wittauer. Wunschwitz.
Author of the statue of Saint Anthony of Padua, Charles Bridge:
The sculpture was created by Jan Oldřich Mayer.
When the statue of Saint Anthony of Padua was created:  1707
Saint Anthony of Padua life dates:   1195 - 1231


N-10.  Charles Bridge, Statue of Saint Jude Thaddeus

Statue of Saint Jude Thaddeus

The statue represents a sturdy and sharply cut figure of Saint Jude Thaddeus in a long robe with a book and a club with knots, the instrument of the saint's martyrdom. Saint Jude Thaddeus was the last of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ (Jude the Apostle). In group representations of all the Apostles, Judas Thaddaeus almost always occupies a modest place in the background.

The donor of the Statue of Saint Jude Thaddeus, Charles Bridge:
The work was commissioned by the knight František Sezima Mitrovský of Nemyšl
Author of the Statue of Saint Jude Thaddeus:
The sculpture was created by Jan Oldřich Mayer
When the Statue of Saint Jude Thaddeus was created:  1708
Saint Jude Thaddeus life dates:  1st century


N-11. Charles Bridge, Statue of Saint Augustine

Statue of Saint Augustine

Saint Augustine (also known as Augustine of Hippo) is depicted in a bishop's vestments, with a mitre on his head and a bishop's scepter in his left hand, holding a burning heart in his raised right hand. At his feet is a small child reminiscent of the legend. According to this legend, the saint once came across a child who was pouring water from the sea into a hole in the sand with a shell. His action is then interpreted in association as God's patience with mankind.

The donor of the Statue of Saint Augustine, Charles Bridge:
The statue was commissioned by the Augustinians of the Church of St. Thomas
Author of the Statue of Saint Augustine, Charles Bridge:
The statue is from the workshop of sculptor Jeroným Kohl. A copy of the statue was sculpted by sculptors Alois Sopr and J. Dušek
When the the Statue of Saint Cajetan was created:   1709 ( restored in 2020 )
Saint Augustine life dates:  354 - 430


N-12. Charles Bridge, Statue of Saint Cajetan

Statue of Saint Cajetan

The statue is dominated by a pyramidal column with the symbol of St. Cajetan, with puffs and a flaming winged heart on top. The saint holds an open book in his left hand, which he rests on the thigh of his bent free leg; between the fingers of his bent right hand he probably once held a quill for writing. He is flanked by a pair of angels with horn-shaped jars filled with fruit, and other produce grown from the earth.

The donor of the Statue of Saint Cajetan, Charles Bridge:
The statue was commissioned on behalf of the Prague Theatines (Congregation of Clerics Regular ) by the provost František of Lissau.
Author of the Statue of Saint Cajetan, Charles Bridge:
The statue was created by Ferdinand Maxmilian Brokoff in his workshop.
When the the Statue of Saint Cajetan was created: 1709 ( restored in 2020 )
Saint Cajetan di Tiene life dates:  1480 - 1547


N-13. Charles Bridge, Statue of Saint Philip Benitius

Statue of Saint Philip Benitius

Saint Philip Benitius (also known as Filippo Benizzi), dressed in a garment with a very artistic rendering of the folds of cloth, directs his gaze towards the heavens, holding a bouquet of lily flowers in his left hand, his right hand with fingers spread out on his chest as a sign of humility. The crown at his feet recalls Benito's rejection of the papacy. The statue is made of limestone, the base of the statue is newly made of sandstone.

The donor of the Statue of Saint Philip Benitius, Charles Bridge:
The statue was commissioned by the Servite Order of New Town, their donor was Prince Adam Ondřej of Liechtenstein.
Author of the Statue of Saint Philip Benitius, Charles Bridge:
The statue of St. Philip Benicio was sculpted by Austrian sculptor Michael Bernhard Mandl.
When the the Statue of Saint Philip Benitius was created: 1714 ( repair 2020 )
Saint Philip Benitius life dates:   1233 - 1285


N-14. Charles Bridge, Statuary of Saint Vitus

Statuary of Saint Vitus

The figure of Saint Vitus wears the armour of an ancient Roman soldier, a cloak and a princely cap on his head. (There are snakes on the rock, because St. Vitus is also the patron saint against being bitten.) The statue refers to the legend of the taming of the lions during the saint's lifetime; he was to become their prey when he was thrown down among them. However, they did not devour him; they were gentle. At his feet is the meekest of lions licking his leg. This lion is sometimes called the "Bohemian lion". Although, or perhaps because, the depiction of the lions is somewhat grotesque, the statue has become one of the most popular on Charles Bridge.

The donor of the Statuary of Saint Vitus, Charles Bridge:
The sculpture was commissioned by the dean of the Vyšehrad chapter, Matěj Vojtěch of Löwenmacht.
Author of the Statuary of Saint Vitus, Charles Bridge:
The sculpture with St. Vitus was made by Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff
When the the Statuary of Saint Vitus was created: 1714 ( restored 2019 )
Saint Vitus life dates: 290 - 303


N-15. Charles Bridge, Statuary of the Holy Savior with Cosmas and Damian

Statuary of the Holy Savior with Cosmas and Damian

In the centre of the statue is our saviour, Jesus Christ, risen from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. The sculpture also compares Cosmas (left) to the Greek Hippocrates, while Damian (right) is compared to Galen in the inscriptions. In the hands of the saints there are vessels with the inscriptions "SIC MEDINA POSVIT", "HIC MEDINA VITAE", . Christ the Saviour, or Salvator, is here apparently understood as the one who will cure the world of sickness and suffering.

The donor of the Statuary of the Holy Savior with Cosmas and Damian, Charles Bridge:
The creation of the sculpture was financed by the Faculty of Medicine of Charles University in Prague.
Author of the Statuary of the Holy Savior with Cosmas and Damian, Charles Bridge:
The author of the sculpture was the Prague sculptor Jan Oldřich Mayer.
Restoration of the statue's base: Jiří Kačer.
When the the Statuary of the Holy Savior with Cosmas and Damian was created: 1709 ( restored 2011)
Characters life dates: 
Twins St. Cosmas and St Damian:  3rd century


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