Charles IV Statue, Prague, Guia do visitante e o que fazer por perto

The Charles IV Statue is a neo-Gothic bronze monument on Křižovnické náměstí in Prague's Old Town, right at the foot of Charles Bridge. It honours Charles IV, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, who founded Charles University in 1348. It was unveiled in 1848 for the university's 500th anniversary, and it is one of the first things you meet when you reach the Old Town end of the bridge.

The story behind it

Charles IV (1316 to 1378) is often called the Father of the Nation, because his reign made Prague an imperial capital and greatly strengthened the Bohemian kingdom. His father, John of Bohemia, known as John the Blind, died fighting alongside the French at Crécy in 1346, the same year Charles was elected as a rival king to Louis of Bavaria. Turbulent politics, religious disputes and the Black Death marked his time. Yet he is remembered above all as a builder and a founder. The statue shows him holding the university's founding charter, and it was made by the Dresden sculptor Ernst Julius Hähnel.

The bridge beside the statue carries his name, and its beginnings are wrapped in legend. Tradition says work started on 9 July 1357 at 5:31 in the morning, a moment picked because the numbers read 1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1, the same forwards and backwards. Charles was keen on astronomy and astrology, so a lucky date suited him. Another story claims that eggs were added to the mortar to strengthen it. Treat both as tradition rather than proven fact, but they are a good reason to look up at the bridge as you walk onto it.

What to look for

• Look at the figure of Charles himself, who holds the charter of the university he founded in 1348.
• Study the neo-Gothic pedestal, which is decorated with figures connected to the university and its faculties.
• Turn towards the Old Town Bridge Tower, the Gothic gateway to the bridge, which stands only a few steps away.
• Find the green dome of the Baroque Church of St Francis of Assisi on the same square. It belongs to the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star, an order founded in 1233 by Agnes of Bohemia, and its dome has a Last Judgement fresco by Václav Vavřinec Reiner.

Tips for your visit

• The statue stands in the open air on a public square, so you can see it at any time. Ten to fifteen minutes is enough, or allow one to two hours if you add the bridge and the tower.
• Go early in the morning or in the evening. The square and the bridge get very crowded in the middle of the day.
• The Clementinum, the Vltava embankment and the Old Town streets are all within a short walk. Check current opening hours if you want to go inside the church or climb the tower.
• Wear comfortable shoes, as the cobbles around the bridge are uneven.

See it on a quest

Ghost of the Crown: Prague’s Royal Quest is a royal-themed route, and the statue of Charles IV fits it well. You reach it on foot as one stop of a longer walk through the area, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle right in front of what you are looking at. One ticket covers the whole group.

The Plague Doctor of Prague takes you through the same streets with a plague theme, which suits the age of Charles IV, when the Black Death shaped daily life. You walk from stop to stop at your own pace, hear the story of each place in the app and solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.

Save the Emperor: The Alchemy Mission, Prague is the one to pick if the emperor's story caught your interest. You come to the statue as part of a longer route, learn about each place as you get there and solve a puzzle in the street. One ticket covers the whole group.