Statue of Jude the Apostle, Charles Bridge

The Statue of Jude the Apostle stands on the north side of Prague's Charles Bridge, one of roughly thirty Baroque sculptures lining this famous crossing over the Vltava River. The work is credited to sculptor Jan Oldřich Mayer, and it forms one of many points of interest for visitors walking the bridge between the Old Town and Malá Strana.

Where exactly does the statue stand?

The sculpture is positioned on the north balustrade of Charles Bridge, the side facing toward Prague Castle and the river's course downstream. Charles Bridge carries a near-continuous row of about thirty statues and sculptural groups along both sides, and the figure of Jude the Apostle takes its place among them, recognizable by the apostle's traditional pose among the bridge's many devotional works.

Who was Jude the Apostle?

Jude, also known as Thaddeus, was one of the Twelve Apostles, the closest followers of Jesus, and tradition holds that he was related to Jesus' family. Within Catholic devotion, he is venerated chiefly as the patron of difficult and seemingly hopeless causes, which is why images of him — in Prague as elsewhere — continue to draw people seeking comfort in situations where other help has failed. Church iconography often shows the apostle carrying attributes such as a club or a medallion bearing the image of Christ, though the precise details of any individual statue depend on the sculptor's own interpretation.

Why are there so many saints along the bridge?

Construction of Charles Bridge began in 1357 under King and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, and for centuries it served as the main link between Prague's Old Town and Malá Strana. The bridge's Baroque statues were added mostly around the turn of the 18th century, a period when Prague — like much of Catholic Europe at the time — commissioned devotional sculptures on a large scale, often as public expressions of piety or gratitude for protection through hardships such as plague or war. Today that unbroken line of statues, including the figure of Jude the Apostle, turns the bridge into an open-air gallery. The collection is cared for by the Prague City Gallery, which is responsible for conserving the statues against Prague's damp climate and the heavy footfall of visitors.

How do you get there, and when should you go?

Charles Bridge is a pedestrian-only crossing, free to walk at any hour of the day or night, so no ticket or guided tour is needed to see the statue of Jude the Apostle. The easiest approach is from Old Town Square at the eastern end or Malostranské náměstí at the western end, with Malostranská station on metro Line A the nearest stop. The bridge gets crowded during the day, so early morning right after sunrise or evening once most tour groups have left offers the best chance to view individual statues without the crowds.

Frequently asked questions

Who created the Statue of Jude the Apostle on Charles Bridge? The sculpture is the work of Jan Oldřich Mayer.

Which side of the bridge is the statue on? It stands on the north side of Charles Bridge.

Is there a fee to see the statue? No. Charles Bridge is a free, public pedestrian crossing open at all hours.

Why is Jude the Apostle considered the patron saint of difficult causes? Catholic tradition credits him with intercession in situations regarded as hopeless, making him one of the saints most often invoked in moments of crisis.