Černochová: The renovation of Karlovo náměstí should begin within five years

Prague - The renovation of Karlovo náměstí in Prague, which is the largest square in the Czech Republic, is expected to start within five years. The city council and Prague 2 have resumed discussions on the long-planned renovation of the square. In an interview with ČTK, the mayor of the district, Jana Černochová (ODS), stated this. The neglected park, divided by busy streets, will be transformed into a pedestrian boulevard in the future. Costs are estimated to rise to as much as 500 million crowns, according to previous estimates.
Prague 2 signed a memorandum with the city council on the joint reconstruction of the square during the previous election term. During April, both parties want to update the memorandum. "It is necessary to immediately address the dire situation in this square and adjust the existing proposals,” said Prague councilor Aleksandra Udženija (ODS) recently. "This will lead to the next steps in the work,” she added.
The adjustments will also be required by architectural studies, which were commissioned by Prague 2 in the past. The proposals include the construction of an extensive underpass under the busy part of the square between Ječná and Resslová streets. Thousands of cars pass through there daily, and trams also run there. "Our effort is to connect parts of the park, so it forms a boulevard, allowing you to avoid going into the metro underpass and crossing busy intersections,” the mayor stated.
Architects will also have to deal with the archaeological discovery of a Gothic chapel of the Body of Christ under Ječná street at the planned underpass site. Černochová told ČTK that the district is in talks with preservationists about how to commemorate the existence of the chapel. "One of the proposals is to place a memorial plaque,” she mentioned. The town hall previously considered the possibility of partially uncovering the finds and protecting them from damage with a glass showcase.
Preservationists want to keep the park in its original form, as designed by landscape architect and director of Prague parks and gardens František Thomayer, brother of the well-known doctor Josef Thomayer. The architect unified the entire square and planted rows of resilient broadleaf trees around its perimeter. Local residents opposed the initial plans for the renovation, rejecting the felling of trees. The mayor promises that the greenery will be preserved. The district has allocated two million crowns in this year's budget for historical research and project documentation.