Prague's Wenceslas Square will be car-free on September 18

Prague - Prague's Wenceslas Square will be completely closed to automobile traffic on Sunday, September 18, and will become a pedestrian zone. A cultural program will also be prepared. This was agreed upon today by the members of the newly established working group for the solution of Wenceslas Square. If the event is successful, it could be repeated once a month.
    The closure, which is being prepared as part of European Mobility Week, will last approximately from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. In addition to the accompanying program, people will be able to view the project for the reconstruction of the square, which was developed years ago by the Cigler Marani Architects studio.
    "We want to try to transform Wenceslas Square into a car-free boulevard for residents and tourists at least for a few hours. If everything goes smoothly, we would like to repeat the whole event regularly. Further steps, which begin with regular security checks and will eventually conclude with the reconstruction of the entire square, will follow," said Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda (ODS) to ČTK.
    Jan Adámek, the chairman of the New Town Association, told ČTK that representatives of the city and Prague 1 confirmed at today's meeting that they consider the Cigler Marani project to be valid. According to the proposal, the lower part of the square should be reconstructed, where greenery should be expanded and traffic calmed.
    The future of the upper part will still be addressed. According to Adámek, there is consideration that the previous idea of creating extensive underground garages may not be realized. It is also not yet clear if trams will return to the square.
    In addition to representatives from the city hall and the Prague 1 municipality, the group includes representatives of enforcement officers, police, people from the Cigler Marani Architects studio, and from the New Town Association, which highlights the poor condition of the square. The members divided tasks today and will meet again in a month.
    People who live and work in or around the square are currently complaining mainly about dense automobile traffic, drugs, and night establishments offering sexual services.