At Legion Bridge begins Smetana Embankment (Smetanovo nábřeží), running past Novotného lávka to Křižovnické Square and on to Charles Bridge. Mainly thanks to its striking views of Charles Bridge, Prague Castle and the close proximity of the Old Town, this stretch is one of the most popular tourist parts of Prague.
Until the mid-19th century you wouldn't have found anything here other than open sandy ground sloping gently down to the river, lined with fishermen's huts and old, crooked trees. It was here, between 1841 and 1845, that the first stone embankment in Prague was built, running from Charles Bridge to the then-new chain Bridge of Emperor Francis I.
The embankment was designed by architect Bernard Gruber and built from dressed granite blocks by Vojtěch Lanna, the well-known entrepreneur from Budějovice. The construction was paid for by the Bohemian Estates, which had bought the land here. Originally it had no specific name and was just called "the Embankment" or "Old Town Embankment".
Around 1894 it was named Francis Embankment after Francis Joseph I. From 1919 to 1952 it was called Masaryk Embankment (with the exception of 1940–1945, when it was part of Vltava Embankment). Since 1952 it has borne the name Smetana Embankment.
On one of our longer cruises along Smetana Embankment you can admire a number of Prague landmarks, such as the Old Town Bridge Tower or the famous Café Slavia.
