The conservationists do not agree with the ramps for garages at Wenceslas Square

Prague - The National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) disagrees with the ramps planned for entry into the underground garages at Wenceslas Square. The Prague branch of the institute has submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Culture to review the consent of municipal heritage officials for their construction. The Scientific Council of the NPÚ's General Director has also joined this proposal, spokesman of the institute Jan Cieslar informed in a press release.

For the project to transform the lower part of the square, the municipality requested the issuance of a zoning decision necessary for obtaining a building permit at the beginning of September, considering the possibility of building the garage; however, construction will not begin yet. The renovation of half of the square is expected to cost about 150 million crowns and will be completed approximately one year after all permits are issued.

The Scientific Council of the NPÚ's General Director is the highest advisory body composed of experts in the field of heritage conservation, art history, architecture, and other disciplines. "It is necessary to seek a comprehensive solution for the traffic service of Wenceslas Square and its surroundings in such a way that public interest is prioritized in all its aspects, including the protection of public space and the preservation of the cultural and historical values of the heritage reserve as an asset listed on the World Heritage List," the conclusions of the scientific council state. According to them, it is necessary to consider the required and realistic capacity of the parking lot and to examine the variant of entry from the street V Cípu. The criticized underground garages are not part of the project at all.

The criticized underground garages are not part of the project at all. According to the project author, architect Jakub Cigler, the project only includes construction preparations for their construction. Mayor Adriana Krnáčová (ANO) previously told ČTK that the city must respect previously concluded contracts that involve the garages.

Representatives of Prague have been discussing the renovation of Wenceslas Square for several years. Cigler Marani Architects developed a project for the entire square in 2005, which has been newly modified. Wenceslas Square is 682 meters long and approximately 60 meters wide. It was originally called Horse Market and was established by a decree of Charles IV. In the 19th century, it was first renamed St. Wenceslas Square and later to Wenceslas.