1890 – the 100 years flood

The flood was devastating to the Charles Bridge on September 3, 1890. Cannons fired from Vysehrad alerted the citizens of Prague that the water was rising quickly. The detritus in the water was responsible for the majority of the damage to the bridge – wooden piers, logs and private boats. Photos of the bridge show that the flood actually washed away three arches of the bridge. In the areas near the banks of the Vltava, people used canoes to travel through the streets.

The repair of the Charles Bridge after the flood in 1890 took a lot of manpower and a lot of time. Dynamite had to be used, as well as steam-powered machines. It was fourteen years before the bridge was finished and open for business again.