Malá Strana Bridge Tower, Gothic tower at Charles Bridge entrance, Prague, Czech Republic
The Malá Strana Bridge Tower, also known as the Lesser Town Bridge Tower, is a Gothic city gate at the western end of Charles Bridge in Prague. It is actually two towers of different heights joined by a passageway, forming the gate that connects the bridge to the narrow streets of the left-bank quarter.
The smaller of the two towers dates from the 12th century and is one of the oldest standing structures in this part of the city. The taller tower was finished in 1464, replacing an older construction that had guarded the same crossing.
The tower marks the entrance to Malá Strana, the historic left-bank quarter whose name simply means Lesser Town in Czech. The stone reliefs carved into its walls show figures from medieval court life, and they are still clear enough to read like a picture story.
Visitors can climb to the viewing platform at the top of the taller tower, which looks out over Charles Bridge and the rooftops of Malá Strana. The stairs are narrow and steep, so sturdy footwear makes the climb easier.
The smaller tower was never torn down after the taller one was built beside it, even though the two belong to completely different periods of construction. Standing next to each other, they look like a matching pair but are actually centuries apart in age.
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