Introduction
At the beginning of Jáchymov’s history, the road from Ostrov ran along the Veseřice stream. With the rapid expansion of the town, the route had to be adapted to increasing traffic. Gradually, the Imperial Road was formed, and its course, with modifications, is still used today. A major change occurred, however, in the lower part of the town.
The original road passed around today’s Radium Palace and, between two mills – the Manorial Mill and another mill that once stood on the site of today’s car park – crossed the bed of the Veseřice.
History of the Bridges
As early as the sixteenth century, three stone bridges were constructed here. Their almost unchanged appearance makes them valuable evidence of structural development and the technical skills of their builders. They demonstrate not only craftsmanship but also foresight in anticipating possible floods.
A distinctive feature is their oblique alignment in relation to the stream. The bridges are not perpendicular to the banks but set at an angle, likely reflecting the course of the original road and the direction of water flow.
After a new road to Jáchymov was built, their importance declined. Only one bridge remained in regular use, while the other two were left to overgrow with vegetation. Nevertheless, all survived major floods, including the devastating flood caused by the breach of the Stadtteich dam.
In 2002, part of the retaining wall collapsed and the road was undermined. Because the structures are interconnected, the lower parts of the bridge arches were also damaged. The left retaining wall was repaired in 2003, and reconstruction of this Renaissance work was prepared, though not realised by 2015.
Construction
The bridges consist of two inseparable elements: the bridge arches themselves and the stone lining of the relatively deep channel of the Veseřice.
Each bridge has a single arch and is positioned obliquely to the stream axis. The arches are built of flat quarry stone with carefully bonded masonry. The retaining walls reinforcing the stream channel are constructed in the same manner and, due to the oblique placement of the bridges, are slightly offset from one another.
At some point, however, the parapet walls were removed down to road level, resulting in the loss of part of the original appearance.
Conclusion
The bridges over the Veseřice are modest yet highly valuable monuments of Renaissance engineering. They recall the original route of the historic road, the flourishing sixteenth-century development of the town, and the essential role of water management in this mining community.
