Kreuzherrenplatz

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Kreuzherrenplatz
Křižovnické náměstí
Prague CoA CZ.svg
Square in Prague
Kreuzherrenplatz
View of Kreuzherrenplatz from the Old Town Bridge Tower
Basic data
place Prague
District Old town
Created middle Ages
Newly designed 19th century
Confluent streets Smetanovo nábřeží, Křižovnická, Karlova
Buildings Old Town Bridge Tower , Kreuzherrenkirche , Salvatorkirche , Karl VI monument.
use
User groups Public transport , pedestrian traffic , motor vehicles

Kreuzherrenplatz (Czech: Křižovnické náměstí ) in Prague is located on the Old Town bank of the Vltava , directly at the entrance to Charles Bridge , on the historic coronation route of the Bohemian kings. It is one of the smallest squares in Prague, yet it is one of the most visited places in the capital. The west side of the square offers an unobstructed view of the Vltava, Charles Bridge and the panorama of Prague Castle .

In the Middle Ages the Vltava flowed here, separating the Kreuzherreninsel (Czech: Křižovnický ostrov ) from the bank. In the 19th century, the island was connected to the Old Town bank by a wide terrace, thus increasing the area of ​​the square. The island, like the square, is named after the monastery of the Order of the Knights of the Cross with the Red Star (Czech: řád křižovníků s červenou hvězdou ), which is located on the north side of the square and which is partly on the island. From 1253 this order took care of the maintenance and guarding of the Judith Bridge - the predecessor of today's Charles Bridge - and took tolls for it.

Section through the square after the renovation in 1848

The current shape of the square dates back to 1848, when it was enlarged and the still-preserved arches of the Judith Bridge were built over. In the same year the bronze statue of the Bohemian King and Emperor Charles IV was erected here.

description

On the north side of the square is the baroque Kreuzherrenkirche of St. Francis of Assisi (Czech: kostel svatého Františka z Assisi ). The building was created as a deliberate counterpart to the Jesuit St. Salvator Church opposite ; the Bohemian order of the Lords of the Cross was in competition with the powerful Jesuits. The corner risalit of the neighboring Kreuzherrenkloster contains masonry from the tower of the former Judith Bridge. Along the monastery building, the square has a lower level as it is supported by the original arch of the Judith Bridge. Here is the entrance to the Charles Bridge Museum, where visitors can find out about the history and the present of the famous building, and to the port of the family business Pražské Benátky (Prague Venice), which operates Vltava ferries and excursion boats. Here you can also see the still preserved arch of the Judith Bridge.

The east side of the square forms the facade of the Jesuit Church of St. Salvatore (Czech: kostel Nejsvětějšího Salvátora ), which belongs to the former Jesuit College Clementinum (Czech: Klementinum ). The Clementinum is the second largest building complex in Prague after Prague Castle, it was once the center of the Counter Reformation in Bohemia. There is an important road connection on the east side of the square - a busy road on the banks of the Vltava and a tram line.

The square is dominated by the Old Town Bridge Tower (Czech: Staroměstská mostecká věž ), one of the most beautiful medieval towers in Europe, which leads the visitor directly to Charles Bridge. The coats of arms of the countries of the Bohemian Crown under Charles IV's reign can be seen above the archway .

The neo-Gothic bronze monument to Charles IV cannot be overlooked. It was built by Jacob Daniel Burgschmiet based on the model of the Dresden sculptor Ernst Hähnel . It was to be unveiled on the 500th anniversary of Charles University in 1848. However, due to the student unrest during the Pan-Slavic Congress , the unveiling was postponed until January 1851. Charles IV holds the founding deed of the university in his right hand. In the base we see allegorical representations of the four faculties : theology , medicine , jurisprudence and philosophy .

The vineyard administration used to be on Kreuzherrenplatz. It reminds with vines decorated Vineyard column (Czech: Vinařský sloup ) with statue of St. Wenceslas , the patron saint of winemakers who, according to legend, made wine for the fair himself . The column stands today on the northeast side of the square, on the corner of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi. It is a baroque work by Johann Georg Bendl from 1676. In front of the column we find the oldest Prague stone paving, which according to tradition is said to come from the former Judith Bridge from the 12th century. The original access to the Judith Bridge with the original paving should also be located under today's Kreuzherrenplatz.

Noteworthy on the south side of the square is house number 193/2, which is adorned with the emperor's coat of arms on the corner. The vineyard administration used to be located here.

gallery

  • Kreuzherrenkirche of St. Francis

  • Old Town Bridge Tower

  • St. Salvator Church

  • Charles IV monument

  • Vineyard column

  • Charles Bridge Museum

literature

  • Antonín Ederer: Náměstí, trhy a plácky staré Prahy (= squares and markets in old Prague) . Milpo, Praha 2002, ISBN 80-86098-24-9 (Czech).
  • Helmut Zeller, Eva Gruberová: CityTrip-plus Prague . Reise Know-How, Bielefeld 2016, ISBN 978-3-8317-2633-2 , p. 112-114 (312 pp.).
  • Václav Cibula: Objevujeme Prahu (= We discover Prague) . Albatros, 1988 (Czech).

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Pavel Vlček a kol .: Umělecké památky Prahy. Staré město, Josefov. (= Sights of art in Prague. Old town, Josefov) . Academia, Praha 1996, ISBN 80-200-0563-3 , pp. 544 (Czech).
  2. ^ Pavel Vlček a kol .: Umělecké památky Prahy. Staré město, Josefov. (= Sights of art in Prague. Old town, Josefov) . Academia, Praha 1996, ISBN 80-200-0563-3 , pp. 546 (Czech).

Web links

Commons : Křižovnické náměstí (Prague)  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 50 ° 5 ′ 10 ″  N , 14 ° 24 ′ 50 ″  E