On the square in Jihlava, archaeologists will be working before planting new trees

Jihlava - This spring, the city hall in Jihlava will plant five new trees in the historic square; they will be fast-growing Japanese zelkovas. They will create a green circle in the upper part of Masaryk Square, between the Marian column, the fountain, and the public transport stop, with seating under the trees. Archaeologists will begin investigating the planting site starting Monday. This marks the first phase of the square's renovation, the city hall announced in today's press release.

The modifications of the expansive square are expected to be carried out gradually until 2030. More trees will also be added. Currently, there are 58 trees in Masaryk Square, and the renovation project anticipates that 105 trees will grow there.

The zelkovas are currently overwintering at the municipal forestry administration; workers will plant them in March or April. They must create a suitable substrate for them. "Because trees in urban environments suffer not only from a lack of water but also from a lack of soil air, they will be planted in a special substrate," stated Katarína Ruschková from the city’s environmental department. The substrate should retain water that the zelkovas will need for their growth. According to Ruschková, the city has already had success with it in plantings on Vrchlického Street.

Masaryk Square, covering an area of 3.7 hectares, is one of the largest in the country and is part of the urban heritage preservation area. The first phase of its modifications is expected to cost about 2.7 million crowns, according to previous estimates from the city hall. The overall costs for the revitalization of the central area of Jihlava will exceed 200 million crowns, and the city intends to use European grants for its financing.

The architectural competition for the renovation of Masaryk Square was won in 2018 by the Prague-based MCA atelier. The winners were also commissioned by the city to prepare the project documentation. In addition to creating resting areas with greenery, new adjustments to the parking areas in the square are also planned.