Queen Judith of Bohemia
The house on the Judith Bridge
Explore the genius loci of a Renaissance townhouse with a Gothic cellar containing fragments of the Romanesque Judith Bridge. The house where Bistro Judita is located. Get to know the noble Queen Judith as well as the history of the Judith Bridge.
Beautiful, educated and progressive
Judith was the daughter of Louis II, Landgrave of Thuringia. In 1153, she married Duke Vladislav II and, following his coronation as King Vladislav II of Bohemia in 1158, she became Queen of Bohemia. According to chroniclers, she was beautiful in an almost unearthly way, very intelligent and educated. She loved literature and various sciences, she had knowledge of spoken and written Latin, and was also skilled in political matters. She often represented the King in matters of state in his absence. An extraordinary woman!
Judith Bridge
Judith, an enlightened visionary and architect
The construction of the stone bridge was initiated by Queen Judith and her husband. The bridge that was named after her was the first stone bridge in the Czech lands and one of the oldest stone bridges in Europe.
At that time, there were only two stone bridges in the region, in Regensburg and Würzburg. The Judith Bridge was built by the Italian bridge brotherhood around 1159-1172. The bridge stood until February of 1342, when it was swept away by a winter flood. Charles IV decided to temporarily repair the bridge with wooden scaffolding and used it as a temporary road during the construction of Charles Bridge. The famous Charles Bridge, the construction of which began in 1357, was built only a few dozen metres further south and was much larger than the Judith Bridge. It was not fully completed until 1503.
Prague’s oldest stone bridges
The late Romanesque Judith Bridge was about 514 metres long, 6.80 metres wide and had 20 bridge arches. It was built of dark red sandstone extracted from the slopes of Petřín. It was paved with irregular blocks of quartz, with the joints in the pavement filled with mortar. Unlike Charles Bridge, the Judith Bridge narrowed considerably towards Malá Strana (Lesser Town), probably for defensive reasons. There were towers with gates at both ends. Its pillars, similarly to those of Charles Bridge, had a hexagonal profile.
Remains of the Judith Bridge in Malá Strana
You can also see the remains of the bridge arch, deck and pavement of the Judith Bridge in Bistro Judita in the House on the Judith Bridge, located on the Malá Strana side of the Vltava River. The Romanesque Judith Bridge Tower, which is connected to the higher late Gothic bridge tower by a monumental Gothic gate, has survived on the Malá Strana bank. Together, they form the entrance to Charles Bridge. So close your eyes and travel to a time long gone for a moment.
Fragments in the House on the Judith Bridge
On the ground floor of the House on the Judith Bridge, you can see the best preserved part of its original bridge deck and railing. In addition to the staggered railing made of sandstone, the stone paving of the bridge, made of dark grey diabase and sitting on top of the older sandstone slabs, is particularly striking.
Its surface is pockmarked with wagon ruts. The basement of the house also features another of the bridge’s remains - its north side made of massive sandstone blocks.
Signature drink,
který bere dech
Milujeme kávu stejně jako vy. Naši baristé vám ji s vášní a mistrovským umem připraví na všechny možné způsoby. Co si dáte? Cappuccino s hustou mléčnou pěnou s krásnými obrazci? Silné espresso, které zdobí dokonalá crema? Nebo snad hravě trojvrstvé latté? Tak se zastavte a vychutnejte si svůj oblíbený šálek kávy obklopeni výjimečnou architekturou.
“Alex was there every step of the way and brought my vision further than I could have imagined!”
Josh MargolisFounder of DAF
Book a table to experience Bistro Judita
BISTRO JUDITA
BISTRO JUDITA
BISTRO JUDITA
A TOUCH OF HISTORY
A TOUCH OF HISTORY
A TOUCH OF HISTORY
