French ropewalker crosses Vltava River at height of 35 meters in Prague

French rope walker Tatiana-Mosio Bongonga from the French troup Cie Basinga Wednesday crossed the Vltava River on a 350-meter-long rope at the height of 35 meters in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic.

Tightrope walker Tatiana-Mosio Bongonga walks on a rope above the Prague Castle to open an international circus and theatre festival in Prague, Czech Republic, August 14, 2019. [Photo: Reuters via VCG/David W Cerny]

She crossed the river without any visible protection, using a four-metre-long balance pole weighing 12 kg. The whole journey took her about 40 minutes.

It was raining heavily in Prague one hour before the performance, but then the sun started shining again. The rope stretched from the building of Faculty of Law of Charles University on the right bank of the river to the slope of the Letna park on the left bank.

Tightrope walker Tatiana-Mosio Bongonga walks on a rope above the Prague Castle to open an international circus and theatre festival in Prague, Czech Republic, August 14, 2019. [Photo: Reuters via VCG/David W Cerny]

The acrobat sat on the rope several times during the performance and she even laid down, made a roll on it and was hanging on her bent soles from the rope. Thousands of people were watching and applauding.

Her performance was part of the opening projects of the Summer Letna Festival which features contemporary circus, dance and acrobatics shows. The festival will last till Sept. 1.

Bongonga, 35, has been walking on rope since the age of eight. The walk this time has been her longest so far, according to Ivana Vrbikova, managing director of the festival.