The original pillar of the Judith Bridge was found on the right bank of the Vlatava river, a few meters lower than the Old Town Bridge Tower.
Petr Parler, one of two important masters who helped build St. Vitus´s Cathedral , initiated a change which had a profound result.
Charles IV was famous throughout Europe as a collector of sacred remains and other holy items, in 1355 he obtained a unique find, teh almost complete skeleton of Saint Vitus, the patron Saint of the Prague´s great cathedral, the tower, and later even the bridge.
Vitus´s remains were a magnificent addition to Charles collection, and the monarch deemed it only proper to bury the saint with great pomp.
Charles decided that Vitus would be the centrepiece of a magnificent yearly happening, which would join te Slavic cult of Svantovit, with Charles´s family name, teh Luxembourgs, lux meaning light in Latin. The drama was meant to peak on the far shore, at te cathedral christened in the name of the respected saint.
In Charles´s day the Julian calendar was stil in use, marking the summer solstice between the 13th and 14th of June, and today´s 21st. The following day of the old calendar was the 15th, the Name day of St. Vitus. the Stone Bridge was moved along the current, creating an incredible sight one day a year, seen from the tower of the bridge, during the summer solstice the sun´s rays hit the exact area at the cathedral where St. Vitus is buried for eternity in a marble tomb. It would be difficult to imagine a more fascinating and mysterious display, honouring the patron of the Gothic city.
The number principle was applied on the constrction of the Stone Charles Bridge. The Old Chronicles claim that numbers were used in order to "grant it sturdiness, which would guarantee its eternal survival".
The Judith Bridge, built in 1158 and named after the wife of King Vladislav, was badly damaged by ide in February 1342.
The foundation stone for the new Stone Bridge (Charles Bridge) was laid a few years later by Holy Roman Emperor and Czech King Charles IV, the bridge received the monarch´s name in 1870.
Charles chose the date for the founding with particular care, it was 9 July 1357, at five o´clock and thirt-one minutes. This date has never repeated itslef in history , written-out, it forms the following combination:1-3-5-7-9-7-5-3-1.
The unique rise and fall of the numbers, and the fact that they are odd, were deemed "lucky".
The date of the founding of the Stone Bridge, was chosen in order to set it on the path of "good future".
text - Jiri Kuchar - "Praha esotericka"
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