PRAGUE'S CHARLES BRIDGE Charles Bridge has a rich and fascinating history stretching over 660 years. Charles Bridge is a medieval stone arch bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czechia. Prague's oldest bridge was built to replace the Judith Bridge built 1158–1172 that had been badly damaged by floods in 1342. Construction of the new bridge, originally called Stone Bridge or Prague Bridge, began in 1357 under the auspices of Czech King Charles IV and was finished in 1402. Since 1870 the bridge has been called Charles Bridge. The historic centre of Prague was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. In charge of the construction was architect Petr Parléř whose other works include the St. Vitus Cathedral at the Prague Castle. It is said that Charles IV ordered to add eggs to the mortar to increase its strength of the bridge. Unlike its predecessor, Charles Bridge has survived many floods, most recently in August 2002 when the country experienced the...