Mystery solved: rogue graffiti cleaner from Prague's Charles Bridge steps forward

Just as one of Prague’s monument keepers was starting to remove two-week-old graffiti from a pillar on Charles Bridge, it vanished overnight. Monument care experts have been concerned that the unauthorized work may have damaged the centuries-old stones, but the person responsible says he did his work just in time to prevent the paint from settling in permanently.

Černý became concerned when he heard how long the removal would take, saying the paint would have been in place too long for a complete removal if the experts’ plan was followed.

“Nothing happened for about 14 days, and because I knew it was a time limit, I went

there,” he told news server Seznam.cz.

The National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) took two weeks to approve a plan to remove the graffiti and stated that work would take an additional two weeks. The Technical Communications Administration (TSK), which is responsible for roads and bridges, was to oversee the project.

Restorer Jan Mjartan signed an agreement with TSK on July 26 to cover the cleaning, which was to be done by hand. He began work the next day with solvent and a brush.

Černý said that the removal took about two hours, from 4 am to 6 am on the morning of July 28, significantly less time than the planned two weeks.

“I am convinced that every Czech wants Charles Bridge to look nice. That was my motivation, not to make fools of experts,” Černý said.

The city’s experts say the removal was not professional and has left traces. Černý claims the wet surface made it impossible to see such fine detail, and he has offered to finish the work for free.

He came forward because he heard the police were looking for the mystery cleaner. It is not clear if he will face charges, but a legal expert said earlier that if he acted “in good faith,” then punishment was unlikely.

A metal grill with an image of St Jan Nepomucký has been constantly covered in “love locks,” which have to be removed with a power tool. This risks damage to the grill. People have also damaged the statues by trying to remove swords and other items from the figures. Hands have been broken off some of the statues by people climbing or attempting to grab onto them. Some statues have been attacked for religious reasons.

Charles Bridge was built in 1357 on orders from Emperor Charles IV to replace the previous Judith Bridge, which collapsed in a flood.