The renovated waterworks in Braník will open to the public on Saturday

object before reconstruction

Prague - The recently renovated Vršovická water tower in Braník will open to the public on Saturday. As part of a day-long program, competitions, an art workshop, as well as a children's disco and a fashion show will be prepared for the kids. The playground and the reconstructed interiors of the historic water tower will also be accessible, said director Marie Růžičková to ČTK today.
    The renovation of the art nouveau building cost 150 million Czech crowns. With financial resources from European funds, the hundred-year-old machine room, coal shed, and other parts of the site, as well as the adjacent park, were restored. According to experts, the condition of the complex of the former water treatment plant and pumping station, which operated until the 1970s, was critical before the reconstruction.
    A cultural and social center has been established in the historic premises. There is a playroom for the smallest children, a restaurant, and a gallery. People can take advantage of various services, such as childcare. They can choose from many courses and seminars. The playground area in the immediate vicinity of the Vltava River also offers plenty of activities. "You can climb on ropes nearly to a height of ten meters and then cross over to individual slides on walkways. There are climbing walls, trampolines, as well as merry-go-rounds, climbing frames, and swings for smaller children," the director said.
    Although it is located in Braník on Vltavanů street, the water tower is named after Vršovice, which supplied it with drinking water. It was built according to the design of architect Jan Kotěra in 1907. In 2002, it was listed among the cultural monuments of the Czech Republic. Prague received funding for the renovation from European funds under the Competitiveness program.