Charles Bridge - Prague, Czech Republic
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ToRo61
N 50° 05.174 E 014° 24.809
33U E 458041 N 5548382
The statuary of Virgin Mary and Saint Bernard (a side view) and St. Vitus Cathedral from Charles Bridge
Waymark Code: WM18C0B
Location: Hlavní město Praha, Czechia
Date Posted: 07/05/2023
Views: 10
Charles Bridge is the oldest bridge over the Vltava River (founded in 1357 by Charles IV) and is also the second oldest bridge in the Czech Republic. It is remarkable not only for its age but also for its unique sculptural decoration. Sculptural groups are placed on both sides of the bridge's pillars, totaling 30 statues. On the first pillar on the right side of the bridge, there is a sculptural group depicting Virgin Mary and St. Bernard.
"Baroque statuary, with in the center the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus in her arms and a sceptre. A kneeling St. Bernard, the founder of the Cistercian Order, is looking up to her on her right; an angel in front of him is holding an abbatial infula (a head cover). On the left, there are angels holding the symbols of Jesus Christ's suffering (a cross, spikes, hammer and pliers), a rooster (that crowed three times when Apostle Peter denied Christ), a veraicon (a miraculous imprint of Christ's face in Veronica's scarf) and dice (with which soldiers played for Christ's clothes).
Donated by the abbot of the Cistercian monastery in Osek, Benedikt Littwerig.
The statuary on the bridge is a copy made in 1979 by M. Vajchr, V. Hlavatý, J. and P. Vitvar, M. Tomšej, A. Viškovská-Altmanová, and J. Wolf. The original is in Gorlice at Vyšehrad."
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