A bridge named after an architect, benefactor and first president of the Czech Academy of Fine Arts, Josef Hlavka (1831-1908). It has been built in different styles and materials, the southern end in steel and the northern section in concrete. The most interesting is the middle part spanning across Stvanice Island. The wavy edge gives a hint of Cubism and a dynamic quality to the otherwise static structure. Between the arches over each pier, niches filled with statues by Jan Stursa are formed within the concrete, punctuated by a raised square pattern. Round sculpted emblems above the piers on the northern part of the bridge are of the past mayors of Prague by Otto Gutfreund.

The steel bridge was rebuilt in concrete between 1958 and 1962 and the whole structure widened to 28 metres by building another concrete bridge to the east side which imitated all the original details and sculptural decorations.