Modern fountain evokes opposition from part of the public and the opposition in Znojmo

Znojmo - A modern fountain named Koruna Znojma, which is set to begin construction next year in the Upper Square, is causing resistance from parts of the public, including some opposition members. Opponents argue that the new fountain will be built on the site where a baroque fountain stood for a long time, and that this modern structure will disrupt the uniquely preserved historical center of Znojmo without connecting to its surroundings. Jiří Kacetl, a councilor and regional historian (For Znojmo), told ČTK this. Mayor Jan Grois (ČSSD) wrote to ČTK that the water feature had been discussed for ten years, and only the current city leadership decided to announce an open architectural competition.

Some opponents of the modern fountain protested nearly a year ago, and the current debate escalated last week with the construction of a wooden model at the site of the future fountain. The designer of the proposal, which emerged from last year's competition, is Štěpán Matějka.

"We, of course, formulated and published our position back in the spring of 2019, when the city published the assignment for the architectural competition. We published a series on the history of the Znojmo fountains on Facebook to bring the Znojmo public and the city council members into the historical context. Without that, our proposal could never be well understood. The response from the city leadership at that time was dismissive," Kacetl stated.

According to Grois, some people want modernity, while others want history; however, the result of the lengthy debates is still an empty space. "The competition received 51 proposals. None contained a replica of the historical fountain," Grois said. In the jury, experts primarily had a voice, not politicians, and the winner is, according to Grois, a suitable compromise that will revive the square. "The fountain will have several cooling modes and will also handle water effects," Grois stated.

This January, part of the opposition presented a proposal to the council for the restoration of the historical fountain. They discussed it but did not adopt any position on it. The city leadership is now preparing documentation for the project with the architect. After that, the city hall will submit a request for the opinion of heritage protectors and then will apply for a building permit so that construction can begin next year. According to Kacetl, the question is whether heritage protectors will give their consent since the new fountain, in his view, will disrupt the appearance of the historical center.

A Renaissance fountain stood at the site in the second half of the 16th century, and in 1700 a new fountain with a statue of Saint Wenceslas was created. However, in 1897, the Znojmo council had it removed, along with eight others out of a total of eleven.