Sculptor Váňa attempted to start the restoration of the Marian column in Prague

Prague - Academic sculptor Petr Váňa and his collaborators today attempted to commence the restoration of the Marian Column at Old Town Square in Prague, which was destroyed by a crowd in 1918 as it was viewed as a symbol of the Habsburg monarchy. Váňa told ČTK reporters on site that the column has a valid building permit, which is about to expire, prompting his action. However, he did not have the necessary permit for the site, resulting in a violation, and he had to restore the location to its original state by today. He still wants to secure the necessary permits from Prague 1 and restart the construction.

Discussions about the restoration of the column have been ongoing since the early 1990s, most recently the Prague council expressed disapproval of placing a copy in 2017. According to Váňa, however, the council as a self-governing body cannot interfere with the execution of state administration, which had already permitted the construction in 2017.

Today, Váňa and his collaborators removed the paving stones, revealing a plaque that commemorates the former location of the column. Furthermore, they planned to remove a layer of soil since the square was approximately half a meter lower when the column stood there. The construction site was about seven by seven meters and was fenced off with metal barriers displaying the column and copies of official documents. They returned the paving stones to their place by the afternoon.

"We set up the construction site only in the spot where the column will stand, because we have a valid building permit, but we don’t have access, so we are doing everything manually," Váňa told ČTK after removing the paving stones with his colleagues. He intended to carry them away by hand, as well as bring in materials.

Barbora Lišková, spokesperson for the Technical Communication Administration (TSK), told ČTK that TSK did not issue any permits for the occupation of the public space at the given location. City councilor David Skála (Prague 1 For Itself) also commented similarly regarding the district. Váňa told ČTK that he had negotiated with TSK and made arrangements, but a contract had not yet been concluded. "That’s where it got stuck," he said. Thus, Váňa and his team committed a violation because, despite the valid building permit, the start of construction must be reported in advance. City police instructed the sculptor to restore the place to its original state. Váňa wants to secure the necessary occupation as soon as possible and start the column's restoration again.

The Prague 1 city hall will initiate administrative proceedings with the sculptor. It is not yet clear whether and what kind of fine he might receive. "We will proceed according to the administrative code," said Ludvík Czital, head of the transportation department of Prague 1. According to Czital, officials usually resolve permits, if the affected authorities agree, within a month.

Supporters of the restoration, who are grouped in the Society for the Renewal of the Marian Column, consider the raising of the column in the 17th century as a symbol and a memory of the defenders of Prague during the Thirty Years' War and a significant work of art, from which Baroque sculpture in Bohemia evolved. Opponents view it as a symbol of Habsburg dominance and intolerant recatholicization of the country. Both groups repeatedly confront each other and submit their petitions to the Prague council.