Štvanice footbridge

The latest entry to the scenery of Prague’s bridges is the footbridge with the illustrative nickname HolKa, which connects the riverbanks of Holešovice and Karlín. Upon first sight of the thin, subtle line hovering above the river, one might think that the bridge probably defies the laws of physics. This is thanks to the clever decision of the authors to use ultra-high-performance concrete, which allowed them to reduce the overall height of the structure to just 1.85 metres and ensured that the 57 connected profiles together are supported by only 5 columns with a span of up to 60 metres.

A beautiful wrought iron handrail by artist Aleš Hvízdal complements the entire length of the bridge and the contrast between the concrete body and the perhaps archaic handrail allows the minimalist appearance of the footbridge to stand out. Especially the youngest admirers will be attracted by the finishing of the handrail with animal motifs. The entrance to the footbridge in Holešovice is guarded by a pair of bulls, which recalls the history of Prague’s abattoirs. The entrance from Karlín is protected by a pair of horses, referring to the wartime history of the Prague Invalidovna, and at the ramp to the Štvanice island we can find two rabbits and a sculpture called River by Jan Hendrych.