<p>Prague has returned to the idea of restoring the Marian Column</p>

Prague - Prague has returned to the discussion about the planned renewal of Old Town Square. The council today approved a reduction of the proposal; it will not yet deal with the demanding revitalization of the entire square, but only the possibility of completing the Marian Column and Krocínova Fountain. The information was confirmed by spokesperson Tereza Králová. There have previously been heated debates around the re-erection of the column.
      The appearance of one of the most famous Czech squares has been addressed by architects for over 100 years; since 1901, there have been eight architectural competitions on this topic. The last one was planned by Prague two years ago. However, none of the proposals have yet been realized.
      The council decided on the reduction of the proposal because the renewal of the square would require the development of complex architectural and conceptual competitions and extensive archaeological research, as stated in the approved material.
      Emotions are particularly stirred by the gap created after the non-original, neo-Gothic, so-called Nobile part of the town hall, which was destroyed at the end of World War II. A park currently occupies the space. While some architects and urban planners recommend leaving the place undeveloped, others have previously proposed various styles of completion.
      Historians and conservationists are not united in their opinion on the restoration of the Marian Column, which was demolished after the fall of the Habsburg monarchy. Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda (ODS) recently stated on his blog that the column remains a symbol of the dispute over Czech history, the Reformation, and the Counter-Reformation for some. "For me, the re-erection of the column is primarily a return of a valuable work of art to a place where it is missing, a restoration of historical memory," he added.