Carries road, tram Width 16 metres (52 ft) Opened 6 June 1908 | Address 110 00 Prague 1, Czechia Total length 169 m Bridge type Arch bridge Architect Jan Koula | |
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Maintained by Technická správa komunikací Similar Mánes Bridge, Legion Bridge, Štefanik Bridge, Letná Park, Letná | ||
Prague svatopluk ech bridge
Svatopluk Čech Bridge or Čech Bridge (Most Svatopluka Čecha or Čechův most in Czech) is an arch bridge over river Vltava (Moldau) in Prague, Czech Republic.
Construction of the bridge started in 1905 and finished in 1908. Its length is 169 m (one of the shortest in Prague) and width is 16 m.
The bridge connects the Prague districts Holešovice and the Old Town (Staré Město). Construction materials are stone (pillars) and iron (arches). Up to 1961 the roadway was made of wood – a hard species named Jarrah from Australia. The roadway got very slippery during rains.
Bridge architects were Jan Koula and Jiří Soukup. Art Nouveau style sculptures (including four put on 17.5-m-high pylons) were created by sculptors Klusáček, Wurzel, Popp and Amort.
The bridge was named after recently died Czech writer Svatopluk Čech (1846–1908); its opening became feat of Czech nation. During occupation of Czech lands by Nazis name of the bridge was changed (1940–45) to Mendel Bridge (Mendelův most), after Gregor Mendel (of German ethnicity).
During 1971-75, Svatopluk Čech Bridge went through major reconstruction, during 1953-56 and 2000-01 through smaller reconstructions, during 1984-87 the sculptures were repaired.
As the only Art Nouveau style bridge in the Czech Republic, it is protected by state (chráněná technická památka). It is used by tramways, cars and pedestrians.