The statue of Charles IV at Knights of the Cross Square on the eastern end of the Charles Bridge in Old Town.
Charles IV (1316-1378) was King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor of the House of Luxembourg, who made Prague their capital. Because he was a great builder of the city, the Czechs regard him as the father of the country. Both the Charles Bridge and the Charles University are named after him.
Two generations later, there was no male heir in his dynasty. His grand daughter's husband, Archduke Albrecht of Austria, inherited the imperial titles and started the Habsburg dynasty. Thus, Vienna replaced Prague as the imperial capital. |