Saint Joseph

This sandstone sculpture of Saint Joseph holding the young Jesus has stood on the south side of Prague's Charles Bridge since 1854, making it one of the newer additions to the bridge's celebrated row of figures. It was created by Prague sculptor Josef Max, who also contributed other works to the Charles Bridge and the St. Vitus Cathedral. Working in the Neogothic spirit of the Habsburg era, Max depicted Joseph in the traditional role of protective guardian — the child cradled in his arm evoking Joseph's status as patron of families and craftsmen. Today the statue sits quietly within the bridge's iconic colonnade of 30 figures; most visitors pass it without pausing, though the detailed carving of the sandstone robes rewards a closer look.