Workers took down the clock tower from Prague's Industrial Palace

Prague - Workers today, with the help of cranes, lowered the clock tower from the roof of the reconstructed Industrial Palace at Prague Exhibition Grounds. The work started in the morning, the actual lowering took 20 minutes, and the tower was on the ground by noon. According to construction manager David Čech from the company Metrostav DIZ, the structure of the tower is in poor condition and it is not possible to repair it on the original site. Previously, workers removed the clock from the tower, which is now being renovated. The reconstruction and completion of the Industrial Palace began in February and is expected to be completed in 2025. The costs are estimated at 2.64 billion crowns.

Initially, it was assumed that the tower weighed 16 tons, but after removal, the workers discovered that the weight with all reinforcements was ten tons higher. "The tower cannot be repaired on the roof because one leg is in a state of emergency and it would be poorly supported. Therefore, we opted for the option of disassembly to the ground, where we constructed a temporary substructure on which the tower will be placed, then it will be surrounded by scaffolding, and we will begin repairs," said Čech. He added that the work is estimated to take six months.

After modifying the basic structure, the restoration of the remaining parts of the tower will commence. The installation of stained glass and glazing of the dome will be done once it is back in its place. The restored clock mechanism will also be returned to it, along with an accurate replica of the original tin dial. "As a cherry on the cake, the original St. Wenceslas crown will return to the top of the spire, which will be gilded," said Čech. He added that the preparatory work for the removal took several weeks and included stripping the tower, removing old wooden elements, and applying stabilization rods to prevent deformation of the structure.

The long-planned reconstruction of the Industrial Palace began in February. Following initial earthworks under the burned-out left wing, workers from the consortium of companies Metrostav-DIZ, Avers, and Syner have now begun the rescue of historical elements such as stained glass windows, the structure of the tower, and the tower clock. According to information from the city hall, deep drilling for heat pumps will follow.

Workers will build a replica of the wing that burned in 2008. Inside, it will be equipped with modern technologies and will use heat pumps with 70 deep boreholes with an average depth of 140 meters for heating. The palace will be equipped with air conditioning and shading technology. A new massive basement will be created under the left wing, which will host facilities for preparing exhibitions.

The Industrial Palace was built for the Jubilee Land Exhibition in 1891, designed by architect Bedřich Münzberger. From the beginning, it served to host exhibitions and other cultural events, although it was originally intended as a temporary structure. From 1952 to 1954, the communist regime decided to change its function, and the main hall of the palace was rebuilt into a social and dance hall. Its name was also changed to the Congress Palace, which was part of the then Park of Culture and Relaxation of Julius Fučík.