Svatopluk Čech Bridge or Čech Bridge ( cs, Čechův most) is an

arch bridge An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side. A viaduct ...

over the river

Vltava Vltava ( , ; german: Moldau ) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, running southeast along the Bohemian Forest and then north across Bohemia, through Český Krumlov, České Budějovice and Prague, and finally merging with the Labe at ...

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and List of cities in the Czech Republic, largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 milli ...

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

History and description

Construction of the bridge started in 1905 and finished in 1908. Its length is (one of the shortest in Prague) and width is . The bridge connects the Prague districts

Holešovice Holešovice () is a district in the north of Prague situated on a meander of the River Vltava, which makes up the main part of the district Prague 7 (an insignificant part belongs to Prague 1). In the past it was a heavily industrial suburb; ...

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 ''Eucalyptus marginata'', commonly known as jarrah, djarraly in Noongar language and historically as Swan River mahogany, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tree with rou ...

'' from Australia. During rain, the roadway became quite slippery. 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 the

occupation of Czechoslovakia Occupation commonly refers to: *Occupation (human activity), or job, one's role in society, often a regular activity performed for payment *Occupation (protest), political demonstration by holding public or symbolic spaces *Military occupation, th ...

by Nazis, the name of the bridge was changed (1940–1945) to ''Mendel Bridge'' (''Mendelův most''), after

Gregor Mendel Gregor Johann Mendel, OSA (; cs, Řehoř Jan Mendel; 20 July 1822 – 6 January 1884) was a biologist, meteorologist, mathematician, Augustinian friar and abbot of St. Thomas' Abbey in Brünn (''Brno''), Margraviate of Moravia. Mendel was ...

(of German ethnicity). In 1971–1975, Svatopluk Čech Bridge went through major reconstruction, in 1953–1956 and 2000–2001 through smaller reconstructions, in 1984–1987 the sculptures were repaired. As the only Art Nouveau style bridge in the Czech Republic, it is protected by the state as a cultural monument. It is used by tramways, cars and pedestrians.

External links

Bridge details
(cz)
Entry in encyclopedia of Czech bridges
(cz)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Svatopluk Cech Bridge Art Nouveau architecture in Prague Art Nouveau bridges Bridges completed in 1908 Bridges in Prague Bridges over the Vltava 1908 establishments in Austria-Hungary