Legion Bridge

The Legion Bridge is the seventh bridge in Prague. It stands on the site of the original chain bridge named after the Emperor Francis I. It joins Shooter's Island and the Lesser Quarter.

On the initiative of the entrepreneur Vojtěch Lanna it was built between 1898 - 1901 by the architect and engineer Anthony Balšánek and Jiri Soukup. In 1901 it was opened in the presence of Emperor Franz Joseph I after whom it was carrying its first name.

After World War I it was given its today's name – the Legion Bridge. During the occupation during World War II it was renamed again, this time after Bedřich Smetana, in 1960 to the Velvet Revolution was called the First of May Bridge.

The bridge was built in the architectural style neo Art Nouveau. Its art decoration, such as stone and bronze handrail lighting lampposts, underwent repairs in the years 1981 - 1983 on the occasion of the reconstruction of the National Theatre.

On both sides of the bridge there are located two towers which were used to collect toll in the past. The bridge is 343 meters long and 16 meters wide. It is divided into 8 flat elliptical and 1 round arches. It is built of granite blocks.