A Bridge Fit for a King

Begun in 1357 and completed in the early 1400s, King Charles IV's namesake bridge is easily the most famous and beautiful Prague structure crossing the Vltava River. This is where the Czech people fought back the Swedes invasion in 1648, and its solid construction made it a key trade route between eastern and western Europe. Charles Bridge — clockin' in at about 1,500 feet long and 30 feet wide — was also the only real road connection between Old Town and Prague Castle until the mid-1800s.Today, Charles Bridge is a bustling marketplace where locals sell food, souvenirs, art and the type of tourist crap you can't believe you bought in retrospect. Shopping aside, though, the bridge features lots of live musicians, 30-centuries-old statues and a climbable Gothic-style tower. While the market generally packs up for the night, it doesn't mean the bridge is any less lively. People flock to the bridge for its stunning nighttime views of the Prague Castle. The present writer enjoyed a night on the bridge smoking a Havana cigar gazing at the castle's glowing lights. Normally you don't think of a bridge as being such a major tourist attraction, but Charles Bridge is one of the top sights in all of Prague. It definitely shouldn't be missed, both during the day and at night.