Prague will seek a designer for the renovation of the space at the National Museum

Prague - Prague will announce a tender for project works for the transformation of the space between the National Museum and the former Federal Assembly. The tender will seek a designer who will prepare the transformation from a technical perspective. This follows from the material approved by the Prague councilors today. The work is to be completed by October 28, 2018. The cost is not mentioned in the material. The currently poorly passable area will be paved and will take the form of a smaller square. In 2019, tram tracks are expected to be added here. The transformation of the space has been planned by the Institute of Planning and Development (IPR).

"The goal is to transform a purely transit area dominated by individual car traffic into a new space, a square that will visually and physically connect both buildings of the National Museum and prioritize the needs of pedestrians," the document states.

For example, the unpleasant narrowing of the sidewalk at the metro exit next to the museum and the island at the crosswalk over the main road should disappear. The sidewalk will now be widened to about five meters. Cars will continue to pass through the square only in the direction of Vinohrady. A two-way lane for cyclists will also be added from Vinohrady towards Wenceslas Square.

In 2019, it is planned to lay tram tracks between the two museum buildings in the direction from the intersection of Vinohradská Street with Legerova, which will eventually be extended to Wilsonova towards the main train station. The tram stop at the Museum will be expanded, and a pedestrian crossing will lead across Legerova from it. Car traffic will not be restricted, as there is already a traffic light in the area.

A staircase is to lead from Čelakovského Sady to the level of the main road, which will connect to a new crossing over Legerova. The gardens themselves are to be renovated in the future.

The transformation of the space will be financed by the capital city through its company, the Technical Administration of Communications. Only the work above the tunnel being built between the historic museum building and the Federal Assembly will be paid for by the National Museum. The city will provide funds for this material.

The building of the National Museum has been under reconstruction since 2015 and is to be opened to visitors for the first time on October 28, 2018, on the occasion of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the creation of Czechoslovakia and the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the National Museum. The total cost of the reconstruction is expected to be 2.34 billion crowns.