Prague — The eye-catching queue that forms daily at a statue on Prague’s Charles Bridge has become a new feature of the 14th-century landmark.
Tourists have long flocked to the bridge over the Vltava River to visit the statue of St. John of Nepomuk. Now visitors line up in front of the nearby Pietà statue to recreate the iconic 1988 photo of music icons Depeche Mode.
The British electro-rock band first crossed the Iron Curtain in March 1988 to play a historic concert in Prague, then the capital of communist Czechoslovakia. They returned in November with renowned Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn, who captured them exploring the city for photographs that would later appear in the book “Depeche Mode: Outsiders.”
One black-and-white photo has special appeal for fans: Dave Gahan and Martin Gore standing next to the Pietà statue.
Fans have been making the pilgrimage for years, but photos of a mass gathering on the bridge between the band’s Prague concerts in 2024 appear to have helped fuel today’s explosion.
Currently, the photo recreated by guest fans is trending on social media with millions of views.
Jorge Sanchez and his wife from California were among the recent visitors.
“I remember seeing the photo way back when, and then I kind of remembered, looked it up, and found out it was here, so I wanted to make sure I took a photo,” Sanchez said.
“I think it suits the time, it suits their music, you know, their message and their music and your personal Jesus and all that, so it kind of fits.”
Maria Hofer and Lara Hinteregger came from Austria.
“We just saw this on Pinterest or TikTok and it’s one of the most famous photos you can take in Prague,” Hofer said. “So that’s what we wanted to do,” Hofer said.
“Yes, we also love the vibe of the music. We think it fits the vibe of the city pretty well,” added Hinteregger.
St. John Nepomuk was born to King IV in 1393. At Wenceslas’ request, he was tortured to death for refusing to violate the seal of confession and reveal his wife’s sins to him. His body was thrown into the river from the Charles Bridge.
It is said that touching the polished engravings of the event placed on the base of the Nepomuk statue will bring luck and ensure a return to Prague.
It’s unclear whether members of Depeche Mode laid their hands on the Nepomuk statue in March 1988, but they returned later that year and their photos gave fans another reason to follow him.
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Associated Press video journalist Stanislav Hodina contributed.