The bridge is named after a prominent benefactor of science and art named Josef Hlávek. It was built between 1911 and 1916, under the supervision of architects Pavel Janák and Vlastimil Hofman. The bridge is located in place
of an ancient ferry service. Nonetheless, a more direct predecessor of today's bridge was an iron suspended footbridge, which connected the Old Town to Klárov from 1869. The bridge had been designed for pedestrians only.
