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A daily queue of tourists at a sculpture on Prague’s Charles Bridge has become a new fixture of the 14th-century landmark.
Sightseers have traditionally gathered on the bridge over the Vltava River to see the statue of St John of Nepomuk. However, people are now queuing beside the nearby Pietà monument to recreate a celebrated 1988 photograph of British group Depeche Mode.
The electronic rock band originally crossed the Iron Curtain in March 1988 to perform a historic gig in Prague, then the capital of communist Czechoslovakia. They went back that November with acclaimed Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn, who documented them around the city for pictures published in his book, “Depeche Mode: Strangers.”
A single monochrome shot holds special significance for followers: Dave Gahan and Martin Gore standing next to the Pietà.
While devotees have made the journey for decades, pictures showing a large crowd on the bridge during the band’s 2024 Prague performances appear to have sparked a recent surge.
Currently, the photo recreated by the visiting fans is trending with millions of views on social media.
Jorge Sanchez, from California, and his wife were among the recent visitors.
“Well, I remember seeing the picture from way back, and then I kind of remember, and I looked it up, and I learned that it was here, so I wanted to make sure I took a picture,” Sanchez said.
“I think it fit at the time, you know, with their music, you know, and their message and their music with your personal Jesus and all of that, so it’s kind of fitting.”
Maria Hofer and Lara Hinteregger came from Austria.
“We just saw this on Pinterest or on TikTok, and it’s kind of one of the most famous pictures you can take here in Prague,” Hofer said. “So, we wanted to do it as well,” Hofer said.
“Yeah, and we also like the vibe of the music. We feel like it fits the vibe of the city pretty well,” Hinteregger added.
St John Nepomuk was tortured to death at the request of King Wenceslas IV in 1393 because he refused to violate the seal of the confession and reveal to him the sins of his wife. His dead body was thrown into the river from Charles Bridge.
It is said that touching the polished engravings of the event placed at the pedestal of the Nepomuk statue will bring luck and ensure a return to Prague.
It is not clear if the members of Depeche Mode placed their hands on the Nepomuk statue in March 1988, but they returned later that same year — and their photographs have given fans another reason to follow.
