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#586 Cloak Bridge

Cloak Bridge, Český Krumlov, Czech Republic

About this stone

The three-tiered Cloak Bridge at Český Krumlov Castle is a masterpiece of Baroque engineering, its 30-meter span soaring 40 meters above a deep ravine on sturdy stone arches. Built in stages from the late 17th century onward, primarily between 1748 and 1765, it replaced medieval wooden drawbridges and connects the Upper Castle to the Baroque theatre, picture gallery, gardens, and the Minorite monastery. The enclosed corridors on the top two levels were designed for nobles to walk through protected by their cloaks, while the open walkway below offers sweeping views of the Vltava River and the town's charming red-roofed skyline. Stone railings display statues of saints—St. Wenceslas, John of Nepomuck, Anthony of Padua, and Felix of Cantalice—though the originals are now carefully preserved in the castle lapidarium. This spot, with its blend of history, architectural grace, and dramatic riverside views, proved an ideal hiding place.