Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
century cast-iron statue of Charles IV , erected on the five hundredth anniversary of his
founding of the university. There's a museum devoted to the Charles Bridge here, plus two
striking churches that are definitely worth exploring.
CHARLES IV (1316-78)
There may be more legends and intrigue associated with the reign of Rudolf II , but it was
under Emperor Charles IV (Karel IV to the Czechs) that Prague enjoyed its true golden
age. In just over thirty years, Charles transformed the city into the effective capital of the
Holy Roman Empire, establishing its archbishopric, its university, a host of monasteries
and churches, an entire new town (Nové Město), plus several monuments that survive to
this day - most notably St Vitus Cathedral, and, of course, Charles Bridge (Karlův most).
Born in Prague in 1316 (and christened Václav), Charles was the only son of King John
of Luxembourg and Queen Eliška, daughter of Přemyslid King Václav II. Suspecting his
wife of plotting to dethrone him, King John imprisoned her and Charles, the young heir
spending his first three years in dungeons at Křivoklát and Loket castles. In 1323, he was
despatched to the fashionable court of his uncle Charles IV of France, to keep him out of
any further trouble and complete his education - he never saw his mother again. In France
he was given the name Charles and married off to Blanche de Valois, the first of his four
wives.
In 1346, his father (by then totally blind) was killed at the Battle of Crécy and Charles,
whoescapedwithjustawound,inheritedtheCzechcrown.Heimmediatelybusiedhimself
with building uphis Bohemian power base, and within two years had himself elected Holy
Roman Emperor . Fluent in Czech, French, German, Latin and Italian, Charles used his
international contacts to gather together a whole host of foreign artists to his new capital,
most famously persuading the Italian man of letters, Petrarch , to pay a visit.
Though later chroniclers tried to paint Charles as chaste and pure, even he admitted in
his autobiography that he had strayed in his youth: “seduced by the perverted people, we
were perverted by the perverts”, he wrote of his Italian sojourn. And just as Rudolf II cre-
ated his Kunst- und Wunderkammer , Charles also spent much of his spare time amassing
a bizarre collection of relics to ensure a smooth passage into the afterlife. He cajoled and
blackmailed his way into obtaining part of the whip used in the Passion, two thorns from
Christ's crown, a few drops of milk from the Virgin Mary and one of Mary Magdalene's
breasts, all beautifully encased in reliquaries designed by Prague's finest goldsmiths.
Muzeum Karlova mostu (Charles Bridge Museum)
Křižovnické náměstí 3 • Daily: May-Sept 10am-8pm; Oct-April 10am-6pm • 170Kč • 739 352 726,
muzeumkarlovamostu.cz • Tram #17, #18 or #24 to Karlovy lázně
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