Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, Religious statue on Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic
Saint Nicholas of Tolentino is a stone statue on the Charles Bridge that depicts the saint in religious vestments, accompanied by a small figure carrying bread. The work stands on the southern side of this medieval bridge and is part of a large collection of religious sculptures that line the path.
The original was commissioned and created in 1708 by sculptor Jeroným Kohl, funded by the Augustinian monastery of Saint Thomas in Prague's Lesser Town. After roughly 260 years of weathering, the heavily damaged statue was replaced in 1969 with a new copy by Jan Jiříkovský.
The statue shows Saint Nicholas of Tolentino in a series of about 30 religious sculptures that line the Charles Bridge and shape the character of the place. The saint is venerated here as a protector of the poor and those in need of help.
The statue is located on the busy pedestrian zone of the Charles Bridge and is freely accessible daily without any admission fee. Visitors should note that the bridge gets very crowded during peak hours, so early mornings or late afternoons tend to be quieter.
The small figure beside the saint carries bread and reminds visitors of the historical role of the saint as a helper of the poor, a detail rarely seen on many other bridge sculptures. This form of storytelling through companion figures is relatively uncommon among the other religious works on the bridge.
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