Charles Bridge Prague: Statues, Towers, Tickets and Hours 2026

Charles Bridge in Prague is free: 515.76 m of cobbles, 30 statues and sculpture groups, and towers at both ends. You pay only for the towers and the museum. The Old Town Bridge Tower costs 250 CZK, the Lesser Town Bridge Tower 200 CZK, both 340 CZK, open 10:00–18:00 in October and November. The Charles Bridge Museum costs 220 CZK. The Lapidarium with statue originals is closed until further notice, so see the Baroque originals in the Gorlice hall at Vyšehrad: six statues, tour 330 CZK, 295 CZK online. Around Prague checked prices, opening hours and rules on official websites on 30 October 2026.

A short history

• Around 1170. Vladislav II builds the stone Judith Bridge. The 1342 flood destroys it.
• 1357–1402. Under Charles IV the sandstone Stone Bridge goes up: 16 arches, 9.5 m wide, usually credited to Peter Parler. The name Charles Bridge dates from about 1870.
• 1890. A flood brings down two piers and three arches, and two statue groups fall into the river.

Legends and what is actually known

• Foundation stone at 5:31. Prague's city site gives 9 July 1357, 5:31, matching the sequence 1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1. Charles University calls this a speculative theory by astronomer Zdeněk Horský; historians consider 15 June, St Vitus's day, most probable.
• Eggs in the mortar. A tale retold on prague.eu from Alena Ježková's book: eggs came from all over Bohemia, and Velvary sent theirs hard-boiled. In 2008 VŠCHT chemists said they had confirmed it. In January 2010 the university withdrew this: no eggs in the mortar (ČT24).
• The cross with five stars. It sits on the parapet between John the Baptist and the Bohemian patrons. A belief quoted on prague.eu says a secret wish comes true if each finger touches a star.
• The Hebrew inscription at the Calvary. The story of a Jew fined for mocking the cross is untrue, says prague.eu: he was falsely accused. Three explanatory plaques were added in 2000.
• Five kingfishers. They are carved on the Old Town tower. Legend says only a pure and just person sees all five at once.

Charles Bridge statues worth finding

Most sculptures date from 1706–1714. The oldest in original form is St John of Nepomuk (1683), the newest Saints Cyril and Methodius (1928–1938). Left and right apply walking from the Old Town towards the Lesser Town.

In the embankment wall between the bridge and the Knights of the Cross monastery is Bradáč, a stone head from the Judith Bridge. People judged floods by whether the water reached its beard, nose or ears.

Copies and originals: Lapidarium and Gorlice

Statues damaged by floods and weather were replaced with copies.

• National Museum Lapidarium (Výstaviště 422, Prague 7). It holds originals of seven groups, including St Luitgard. It is closed for technical reasons until further notice, with no reopening date on 30 October 2026.
• Gorlice hall, Vyšehrad. Six Baroque originals: Ludmila, Nicholas of Tolentino, Adalbert, the Madonna with St Bernard, Anne and Augustine. Guided tour only, in Czech or English, 45–60 minutes, from Cihelná brána, V Pevnosti 46/1.

Gorlice tickets: adults 330 CZK (295 online), children 6–15 165 (150), students 16–26 and seniors 65+ 250 (225), under 6 free.

Bridge towers: tickets and opening hours 2026

Same hours for both: January–March and October–November 10:00–18:00, April–May 10:00–19:00, June–September 9:00–20:30, December 10:00–19:30. Exceptions: 24 Dec until 14:30, 25 Dec 11:00–17:30, 26 Dec until 19:00, 31 Dec until 16:00, 1 Jan 2027 11:00–18:00.

• The first hour after opening is 50% off, except 25 Dec and 1 Jan. Calculation: 125 and 100 CZK.
• The Old Town tower has 138 steps and stands about 47 m tall. On the Lesser Town side only the taller tower is open, with a gallery at 26 m.
• The towers are not barrier-free. Under-15s need an adult.
• Prague City Tourism is the only official seller: ticket offices and online shop. Its Charles Bridge and Lesser Town tour in English costs 600 CZK.
• With the Prague Visitor Pass, both towers, the museum with the Prague Venice boat and the Vyšehrad casemates are free.

When is Charles Bridge less crowded?

We found no official hourly counts; this comes from opening hours and hotel statistics.

• Before 8:00 and after 22:00. Vendor pitches run 8:00–22:00, the towers open at 9:00 or 10:00, the museum at 10:00.
• January and February. In 2025 Prague accommodation had 498,000 and 488,000 guests, against 793,000 in August (ČSÚ). See the best time to visit Prague.
• Festival days. On 11 Nov 2026 at 11:11 the St Martin procession starts at the 11th pier, with a market on Křižovnické náměstí 12:00–18:00. Navalis follows on 14–15 May 2027.

Best photo spots

• Old Town tower gallery. Along the bridge, with the evening sun dropping towards Prague Castle.
• Lesser Town tower gallery. The Vltava, the bridge and the Old Town.
• Kampa stairs and island. The bridge and its arches from below.
• Novotného lávka. The bridge against the Lesser Town and the Castle, from the Old Town bank.
• Křižovnické náměstí. The Charles IV monument and the Old Town tower.

Private photography needs no permit; commercial shoots need a road-use permit (Prague 1, 2018). By the AIP coordinates, the Lesser Town end of the bridge lies in prohibited airspace LKP1 "Pražský hrad" (our calculation), so check drone flights on dronemap.gov.cz.

Rules and vendors on the bridge

• Who may sell. Prague's market regulation, in force from 29 Aug 2026, allows 55 pitches, daily 8:00–22:00, for original work and performances chosen by an expert panel.
• Who oversees it. The Charles Bridge Artists' Association runs sales and music for Prague 1. Each artist has an ID on the stand; reselling others' work brings a five-year ban (Prague 1, 2020).
• Street tours. Selling them on the street in the centre is illegal, prague.eu warns.
• Alcohol. Banned on the bridge under city decree 10/2022. More in Is Prague safe?
• Love locks. The city asks you not to attach them to bridges.

Museum, nearby sights and getting there

The Charles Bridge Museum, Křižovnické náměstí 3, fills rooms of the former Knights of the Cross hospital and covers the bridge's history. Tickets are 220 CZK, reduced 110 CZK, or 550 and 350 CZK with the Prague Venice boat. Hours: October–April 10:00–18:00, May–September 10:00–19:00. The Prague Visitor Pass listing says 10:00–16:00, so go earlier with the pass.

Nearby: Kampa and the Čertovka stream, the John Lennon Wall and the Clementinum. Compare boats in our Vltava cruise guide.

Old Town side: metro Staroměstská or tram stop Karlovy lázně. Lesser Town side: metro Malostranská or tram stop Malostranské náměstí. From the main station take metro C to Muzeum, then line A to Staroměstská: 8 minutes on IDOS.

Charles Bridge questions (FAQ)

Do you have to pay to walk on Charles Bridge?

No. Tickets are only for the towers and the museum.

How many statues are on Charles Bridge?

Thirty statues and groups on the parapets. Bruncvík stands apart on a pier.

Are the Charles Bridge statues original?

Some are. St John of Nepomuk is original; Luitgard, Ludmila and Francis Xavier are copies.

Which bridge tower should I climb?

The Old Town tower looks along the bridge towards the Castle. The Lesser Town tower is 50 CZK cheaper. The combined ticket saves 110 CZK (250 + 200 − 340).

What is the best time to visit Charles Bridge?

Going by the timetables, before 8:00. By season, January and February.

Sources: Charles Bridge (prague.eu), Old Town Bridge Tower, Lesser Town Bridge Towers, Lapidarium (National Museum), Gorlice (Vyšehrad), Charles Bridge Museum, Charles University on the foundation, the egg legend, ČT24, 2010, market regulation, 15/2026, decree 10/2022, Prague 1 on the artists, Prague 1 on photography, Enjoy Respect Prague, AIP ENR 5.1, Prague Visitor Pass, ČSÚ, IDOS. Checked on 30 October 2026; confirm hours before you go.

See also: Prague Walking Tours, Prague Visitor Pass, Best Time to Visit Prague, Prague Itinerary for 1, 2 and 3 Days, Prague Castle from the Inside, Where to Stay in Prague.

Photo: Charles Bridge at sunrise, looking towards the Old Town Bridge Tower and the dome of St Francis. Bradley Weber, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

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