Crucifix and Calvary sculpture, Charles Bridge

The Crucifix and Calvary sculpture, installed 1657, on the Charles Bridge or Karluv most over the Vltava river, Prague, Czech Republic. Bought in Dresden, this crucifix was originally made in 1629 by H Hillger after a design by W E Brohn. In 1861 the sandstone statues by Emanuel Max were added, portraying the Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist. The golden Hebrew text was added in 1696, when the Prague authorities accused a local Jewish leader, Elias Backoffen, of blasphemy. His punishment was to raise funds for gold-plated Hebrew letters, spelling out the Kedusha from a Hebrew prayer. The inscription was a symbolic humiliation of Prague Jews. The historic centre of Prague was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. Picture by Manuel Cohen

Picture No

13427613

Media ID

45090634

Size

5600px x 3624px (4.2MB)

Credit

Manuel Cohen / Mary Evans

Source

Photograph by Manuel Cohen