The celebrations of the Charles Bridge anniversary attracted crowds of people

Prague - Crowds of visitors were attracted today to Prague's Old Town Square, where celebrations began for the 650th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of Charles Bridge. During the Banner Tournament in honor of Charles Bridge, the square partially returned to the Middle Ages. Visitors could enjoy knightly competitions in period costumes, accompanied by herald announcements, demonstrations of traditional crafts, or falconry displays. Those who wished could visit a tea house.
    Attention was drawn, for example, by the world champion whip master Pavel Votápek. He managed to whip a flower out of a woman's hand from the audience. "That's nothing, I can trim nails too," he laughed. He also managed to knock a lit cigarette from a man's mouth in the audience. As he told ČTK, he has been practicing this hobby for 17 years, and when preparing for a competition, he trains daily.
    Today's show was mostly well received by the visitors. Many of them refreshed themselves; some took advantage of the summer weather to sunbathe. "I liked it, it's a different kind of entertainment. It's better than television," said one of the visitors.
    Despite the hot weather, the present paramedics had little to do. "Rather, foreigners come feeling unwell," said a Trans Hospital rescue service worker to ČTK. In contrast, pickpockets were busy. According to city police officers present, about 15 people reported lost documents or money during the event.
    The main celebrations are set to begin at midnight when magician Žito will ride across the bridge in a cart pulled by roosters. People will see, among other characters, a headless templar, Bruncvík, the Iron Man from Platnéřská Street, and the barber Zuzana. Live replicas of statues will tell passersby their stories on the bridge. Gothic music will fill the air, dancers and jesters will perform, and there will be sword-fighting tournaments. Demonstrations of traditional crafts will also be prepared.
    The celebrations will continue until Monday morning and culminate in the blessing of the bridge's cornerstone. This will take place precisely at 05:31, the time when this ceremonial act allegedly occurred during the reign of Charles IV.
    The series of odd numbers from one to nine and back to one has astrological connections. However, the exact figure is not recorded in the chronicles; it was derived in the 19th century. Experts assert that it appears realistic. Back then, a different Julian calendar was in effect. The current Gregorian calendar was only introduced later.
    The current celebrations are the first in the entire history of Charles Bridge. The city council allocated 3.2 million crowns for them. After the celebrations, the monument will undergo renovation costing more than 220 million crowns. The Prague city council will hand it over to a company sometime in the second half of July, and construction work is expected to begin a month later.