Depeche Mode fans flock to Prague’s Charles Bridge to recreate 1988 band photo

PRAGUE (AP) — A constant eye-catching queue that forms daily at a sculpture 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 are lining up at the nearby Pietà sculpture to recreate an iconic 1988 photograph 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 that November with renowned Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn, who captured them exploring the city for photographs that later appeared in his book, “Depeche Mode: Strangers.”

One black-and-white image has a particular appeal for fans: Dave Gahan and Martin Gore standing beside the Pietà sculpture.

Fans have been making the pilgrimage for years, but photographs of a mass gathering on the bridge between the band’s Prague concerts in 2024 appear to have helped fuel a modern-day boom.

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.

Associated Press video journalist Stanislav Hodina contributed.

People wait in line to recreate a famous photo of two members of Depeche Mode, taken by Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn in 1988, by the Pieta statue at the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

People wait in line to recreate a famous photo of two members of Depeche Mode, taken by Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn in 1988, by the Pieta statue at the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

People pose to recreate a famous photo of two members of Depeche Mode, taken by Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn in 1988, by the Pieta statue at the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

People pose to recreate a famous photo of two members of Depeche Mode, taken by Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn in 1988, by the Pieta statue at the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Jorge Sanchez from Los Angeles displays a famous photo of two members of Depeche Mode, taken by Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn in 1988, as he waits in line to recreate this image by the Pieta statue at the Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

The Professional Women’s Hockey League’s addition of four new teams is translating into more games, an expanded playoff format and the introduction of two six-team conferences entering its fourth season.

The PWHL unveiled major adaptations on Friday in releasing its 180-game regular-season schedule running from Dec. 5 to April 18, and includes the league’s previously announced first All-Star event on March 7.

The PWHL’s popular “Takeover Tour” series is back and expanding from 16 to 24 outings, with the neutral site locations yet to be revealed.

“The schedule reflects the PWHL’s monumental growth, as anticipation builds for our fourth season,” said Jayna Hefford, executive VP of hockey operations. “The introduction of conferences and an expanded playoff format will deepen rivalries and fuel the competitiveness.”

The 180 games — with each team playing 30 — is up from 120 last season as a result of the PWHL growing to 12 teams with the addition of expansion franchises in Detroit, Las Vegas, San Jose and Hamilton, Ontario.

By doubling in size since launching as a six-team league in 2024, the PWHL for the first time is splitting up into Eastern and Western Conferences. Boston, New York, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Hamilton will play in the East, while Detroit, Minnesota, Las Vegas, San Jose, Seattle and Vancouver will play in the West.

Each team will play 18 games against conference opponents, and visit each market at least once.

The top four teams in each conference will qualify for the postseason, which will feature the addition of a best-of-five quarterfinal round. Previously, teams were all grouped together, with the top four qualifying for the playoffs, which opened with a semifinal round.

The semifinals and Walter Cup Finals will remain best-of-five series.

The PWHL is also continuing its tradition of having the first-place team — this time one in each conference — choose between the third- and fourth-place finishers to be their opening-round opponent.

As previously announced, the season begins with six teams playing on Dec. 5 and the remaining six the following day.

The schedule is weekend dominant, with 49 games being played on Saturdays and 39 on Sundays. The busiest weekday features 31 games being played on Wednesdays.

With the International Ice Hockey Federation permanently moving the women's world championship to November, the PWHL will no longer have to pause its schedule with a three-week break as it did in two previous non-Olympic seasons. The longest break this season will be an eight-day pause to open March and coincide with the PWHL's four-team, 3-on-3 All-Star competition in Toronto.

See AP’s full women’s hockey coverage here

Jayna Hefford, left, Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations for the PWHL, and Laura Stacey, PWHL Players Association President talk as they announce the first ever PWHL All-Star Game, which will take place in Toronto next year, during a press conference in Toronto, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)