You’re now standing on one of the most photographed spots in Český Krumlov, Lazebnický Most, known in English as the Barber’s Bridge. This beautiful medieval crossing over the Vltava River connects the Old Town with the Latrán district, and the view from here is unforgettable. The bridge dates back to the Middle Ages, and for centuries, it was a vital link between two parts of the town that were once separate and independent communities. Now, take a moment to look at the two statues on the bridge. One is of Jesus Christ on the cross. On the opposite side is the statue adorned with a halo of five stars. This is Saint John of Nepomuk, and the halo symbolizes the legend surrounding his martyrdom. Let me tell you his story. Saint John of Nepomuk was a fourteenth-century priest who served as the confessor to Queen Johanna of Bohemia. According to legend, King Wenceslaus the Fourth, suspicious of his wife’s fidelity, ordered John to reveal the contents of her confessions. John, however, refused to break the sacred seal of confession. Enraged by this defiance, the king had him tortured and then thrown from the Charles Bridge into the Vltava River, where he drowned. The five stars that form the halo around his head in the statue represent the stars that are said to have appeared above the water where his body was thrown, a miraculous sign of his sanctity. Perhaps ironically, he is now considered the patron saint of bridges, protecting people from drowning and floods. If you visit Prague, you will see his statue on the famous Charles Bridge too. However, this picturesque bridge is also tied to one of the darkest stories in Český Krumlov’s history. In the early seventeenth century, the town was shaken by a brutal crime involving Don Julius d’Austria, the illegitimate son of Emperor Rudolf the Second. Don Julius suffered from severe mental illness and lived in the castle above the town. He became obsessed with Markéta Pichlerová, the daughter of a local barber. It is said that, once in a fit of anger, he murdered her in a horrifying act of brutality. The method was barbaric. He literally tore her apart. Some accounts say he cut off pieces of her body. Others say he disfigured her face beyond recognition. Because he was the emperor’s son, he was not executed. Instead, Rudolf the Second ordered his imprisonment for life in the castle, where Don Julius died a year after his gruesome act. So why is this called the Barber’s Bridge? The name comes from both history and legend. Historically, a barber’s bathhouse once stood nearby, which already gave the area its name. But local legend adds another layer: some stories claim that Markéta’s father, the barber, falsely confessed to his daughter’s murder to protect the imperial family, and that the bridge became linked to his sacrifice. Today, this peaceful, postcard-perfect bridge carries both beauty and sorrow. It is a place where stunning views meet one of the most haunting stories in Bohemian history. Our next stop is located in Latrán, and as we head to the other side, I will tell you a story about why this part is named so. Keep walking as you listen to the next stop.