Prague’s lamplighter returns: How to catch Charles Bridge’s Advent glow

A long bamboo pole, a red cape and a row of gas lanterns: one of Prague’s most atmospheric Advent traditions is returning to Charles Bridge. From Nov. 29 through Dec. 23, a lamplighter in historical dress will make his rounds at dusk, switching on the lights by hand.

For anyone used to crossing the bridge beneath its evening glow, it is a chance to see the small mechanical ritual behind the illumination. It also offers a glimpse of a profession that once helped keep Prague functioning after dark.

There had been talk of moving the attraction elsewhere after crowds brought parts of the bridge to a standstill during previous Advent seasons. But this year, the familiar route will remain, starting on Křižovnické náměstí before heading across the Vltava.

According to city technology company THMP, the lamplighter will set off between 4:05 and 4:15 p.m., timed to coincide with Prague’s street lighting coming on.

His rounds begin among the nine gas lanterns on Křižovnické náměstí, beside the Old Town entrance to Charles Bridge. He then lights one side of the bridge, turns around at the Malá Strana end and returns along the other. THMP says the complete route takes in 46 lanterns.

He should be easy to recognize. The historical uniform consists of a long black coat with brass buttons and a Prague lantern badge, a red cape and a black cap. The bamboo pole allows him to reach the mechanism overhead.

The process is straightforward: a short pull on a rod admits gas and ignites the lantern. Weather can occasionally interrupt proceedings; if a lamp fails to light, the lamplighter must wait about a minute before trying again.

Outside Advent, the gas lighting switches on automatically. The seasonal rounds restore the human element to equipment that usually operates without an audience.

Today, gas lanterns suggest old-world romance. When they arrived in Prague in September 1847, they represented a major technological advance.

An initial network of around 200 lamps was supplied by the new Karlín gasworks. Over the following decades, gas lighting spread through the city, changing how its streets could be used after sunset.

The lamplighter’s work extended beyond the picturesque moment visitors now photograph. Lighting, extinguishing and maintaining the lamps were practical responsibilities in a city dependent on their operation.

Electricity eventually displaced gas, although the transition took considerably longer than visitors might imagine. More than 9,000 gas lanterns still illuminated Prague in 1940. The last remaining examples on Hradčanské náměstí and in Loretánská Street were converted to electricity in 1985.

Their absence proved relatively brief. Gas lighting returned in 2002, with nine lanterns installed in Michalská Street. The restoration subsequently reached Charles Bridge in 2010. These are functioning gas lights, rather than electric bulbs designed to imitate flames.

The lamplighter’s popularity has complicated the experience in recent years.

In January, Prague representative Petr Zeman raised concerns about congestion, saying he had documented occasions when crowds stopped movement on the bridge for as long as 40 minutes. Other representatives suggested relocating the rounds to Hradčanské náměstí or holding them in January or February.

Neither change is happening this Advent. Růžková told Czech News Agency that THMP had received no request to move the route.

For visitors, that means planning for a busy public space. Arrive before the advertised starting window, keep room for people crossing the bridge and avoid trying to follow immediately behind the lamplighter at every stop. With lanterns on both sides, there is little reason to compete for a single photograph.

For families with small children, the size of the audience may matter more than the short duration of any individual lighting stop. This is a working pedestrian crossing as well as a seasonal attraction.

Prague City Tourism is preparing two guided walks with a lamplighter for those who would prefer a more structured outing after Christmas.

The first will explore Hradčany on Jan. 19, 2027, at 5 p.m. A second, through Old Town, follows on Jan. 27 at 5 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase online.

The Hradčany walk is advertised with lamplighter Jan Žákovec, lasts approximately 90 minutes to two hours and has a capacity of 30. Listed prices are CZK 250, or CZK 200 reduced.

You can also explore Prague’s gas lighting independently. The restored network follows the historic Royal Route from the Powder Tower through Old Town, across Charles Bridge and uphill toward Hradčanské náměstí, giving the evening walk a glow that lasts beyond Advent.