Mánes Bridge is the ninth bridge across the Vltava within Prague. It was built on the site of a historic ferry to a fishing settlement. Its predecessor — connecting the Old Town, namely Aleš Embankment, and Klárov in the Lesser Town — was an iron suspension footbridge.
The bridge was built between 1911 and 1914, but its full completion did not come until 1916. It was designed by engineers František Mencl and Alois Nový, with contributions from architects Pavel Janák, Vlastimil Hofman and Mečislav Petrů. It is a concrete bridge. It is 186 metres long and 16 metres wide, divided into 4 segmental arches. Today it carries a tram line, road traffic and pedestrian pavements. It underwent reconstruction between 1992 and 1994.
The bridge was built in a Modernist style with elements of Czech Cubism. The decoration by Czech sculptors features figural friezes depicting the life of Vltava boatmen. On both sides of the Old Town approach there are fountains with gargoyles, and on the Lesser Town side coats of arms of the city and the country. When opened, it bore the name of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Este; it has been called Mánes Bridge since 1920. Since 2009, a walk of fame has been gradually installed on the bridge — brass stars as a tribute to Czech composers.
You can see Mánes Bridge from the deck of our boats and steamboats on one of our regular cruises.
