Saint Christopher, Religious statue at Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic
The Statue of Saint Christopher stands on the south side of Charles Bridge and depicts the saint carrying the Christ Child on his shoulder while wading through water. This sandstone work is one of many sculptures that define this famous bridge.
The sandstone statue was carved by Emanuel Max (1810–1901) in 1857 and paid for by Václav Vaněk of Rodlova. It replaced a military guardhouse that collapsed into the Vltava in 1784. A plan to erect a sculpture of Charles IV on the same spot was never carried out.
The sandstone statue was paid for by Václav Vaněk, a nobleman of Rodlova, and stands where a military guardhouse collapsed into the Vltava in 1784. Latin inscriptions cover its pedestal, and it is one of thirty sculptures on the bridge.
The statue sits on Charles Bridge among the other sculptures and is best viewed during daylight when light highlights the sandstone details. Visitors should explore the bridge in early morning hours to avoid crowds and see the artworks with less congestion around them.
The sandstone statue was paid for by Václav Vaněk of Rodlova and stands where a military guardhouse collapsed into the Vltava in 1784. A plan to place a sculpture of Charles IV there was never carried out, and Latin inscriptions cover the pedestal.
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