A future King would have to travel along the Královská cesta (Royal Way) on the way to his coronation and we shall follow in his footsteps. This walk will take, if we do not stop on the way to look inside buildings, about two hours. We go out of the city centre from the Prašná brána (Powder Tower) and on to Celetná Street. We pass by the Dům u Černé matky Boží (House of the Black Madonna) (1), the renaissance Menhartovský palace, the Carreto-Millesimovský palace, the rectory and the dům U Tří králů (House of the Three Kings) (2), where Franz Kavka lived as a youth. We arrive at Staroměstské náměstí (3) with the section of the tower that accommodates an astronomical clock, built in 1410. We walk past U Minuty and onto Malé náměstí with its fountain (4) and from there to Karlova Street with its original mediaeval houses. The most extensive premises belong to the Klementinum (5), which is to your right before Karlův most (6), which we join through the Staroměstská mostecká tower and leave on the other side thorough the Malostranská tower. After walking along Mostecká Street we arrive at Malostranské náměstí (7) with its 18th century Church of St. Mikuláš. Our tour continues along Nerudova (originally Ostruhova) Street. Here our attention is drawn to the several symbols displayed in the house doorways. The street comes to an end and we turn right, which leads to the Prague Castle viewing point (8), where the Královská cesta/Royal Way comes to an end.
Charles Bridge was originally called Stone Bridge until 1870, when it was named after the person who had it built. From the mid 12th century until the mid 14th century stood the Romanesque Judith Bridge on its site, but this was destroyed by floods on 3 February 1342. After this catastrophe a temporary bridge made of wood was used in its place for fifteen years. Building work on the new bridge commenced on 9 July 1357 at 5.31 in the morning, and the foundation stone was laid by Emperor Charles IV himself. The date and exact time was selected by calculating the time of the conjunction of the Sun and Saturn which was, according to the Pope and astrologers, the most fortunitous time of the year. Try and write the year, month, day and time of the bridge’s foundation, and you will get a pyramid of numbers: 135797531 (1357 year, 9th day, 7th month, 5 hours and 31 minutes).
