Praha is negotiating the purchase of the Vyšehrad railway station, there is also talk of expropriation

Prague - The Prague City Council plans to purchase the deteriorating Vyšehrad railway station. After reconstruction, the Slav Epic could be housed in the building. Negotiations regarding the purchase price of the former station are currently underway, and expropriation of the monument is also on the table. The talks are expected to continue until mid-year. This was stated to reporters today by the city councilor for property, Jan Chabr (TOP 09).

Whether the location is suitable for housing the Slav Epic is currently being evaluated by architects from the Institute of Planning and Development of Prague (IPR). They will decide within one or two months. For the exhibition of the cycle of twenty large-format paintings by Alfons Mucha, the Vyšehrad station could be supplemented with extensions. "The architects are assessing whether it would be possible to carry this out in such a way that we maintain the heritage protection that the building has," said the councilor. If the location is not suitable, the former station could be converted into apartments or offices.

The IPR ruled out the reuse of the building as a railway stop. Institute spokesman Marek Vácha stated for ČTK that the current railway system no longer requires this type of station building. "It should rather be replaced by the stop at Prague's Výtoň. That has not only better transfer links but also a closer walking distance to places like Karlovo náměstí, Vyšehrad, administrative offices and the surrounding area, and it is also closer to VFN or the university campus," Vácha added.

Whether the city will buy the Art Nouveau building and for how much is currently being discussed. The foreign owner of the heritage-protected building is asking for 117 million crowns, while the city is willing to pay around 67 million crowns for the historic station. "The city can only expropriate at the customary price in the area. We cannot purchase any property in Prague for any price. We must adhere to expert appraisals," Chabr added.

There is also discussion about the possibility of expropriation. This could occur if Prague does not reach an agreement on the price with the property owner. According to councilors, the reason for expropriation is that the current owner does not care for the monument. However, according to Chabr, the Prague city council coalition of Pirates, Prague Together, and United Forces for Prague (TOP 09 and STAN) will discuss possible expropriation only if negotiations with the building's owner are unsuccessful. While Chabr believes that property rights are inviolable and would rather not support the expropriation of the monument at this time, the chairman of the representatives of United Forces and MEP Jiří Pospíšil (TOP 09) holds the opposite view. "I am convinced that a political solution is not to watch a falling station for another twenty years. Expropriation is in the public interest," Pospíšil told ČTK.

Train operations were halted around 1960. The property, which was declared a cultural monument in 2000, has been in private hands since 2007. The building is in a desolate state.