The Charles Bridge in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, is the oldest and longest bridge in Europe. It began construction in 1357 and took only 43 years to complete. After its completion, it became the only way for the kings to crown the parade. The bridge is of great artistic value and is the perfect combination of Gothic architecture and Baroque sculpture. On both sides of the bridge, there are thirty magnificent Baroque sculptures, all from the Czech masters of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The masterpieces, together with the ancient buildings of various styles on both sides of the Vltava River, form the most beautiful city in Europe.