In Prague, there are dozens of decaying monuments, and their number is declining

Prague - In Prague, there are dozens of unused historical buildings, some of which are deteriorating. These include state or municipal properties. According to the director of the municipal heritage department, Jan Kněžínk, the number of neglected buildings is gradually decreasing. However, heritage conservationists have limited powers against owners who may intentionally neglect valuable buildings.
    According to Kněžínk, the number of neglected heritage buildings paradoxically appears to be increasing at first glance. “They are unlucky in that the more monuments are restored, the more visible the neglected ones become,” he told ČTK.
    Deteriorating buildings in the very center of the metropolis include a residential building on Křižovnická Street, the U Kasírů house on Bartolomějská Street, a classicist residential building on Petrská Street, and an apartment building on Krakovská Street. According to conservationists, the Hrobčických Palace and Wimrův Palace on Rytířská Street are also damaged, especially following unauthorized alterations that have harmed artistic and craft elements.
    An abandoned residential building on Charvátova Street is also in disrepair, although the owner is currently making repairs. However, they received a fine of 50,000 crowns from conservationists for unauthorized alterations.
    Among the unused state monuments is the Baroque residential building U Kochánků on Palackého Street. The front section of the house U Voříkovských, managed by the National Heritage Institute, has been empty for several years.
    In most cases, conservationists will call on the owner to make repairs to prevent further degradation, such as ensuring that rain does not enter the building. “In general, our orders are not complied with,” Kněžínk noted. The department can then impose fines on the owner. In the case of companies, the penalty can reach 100,000 crowns, while for individuals it can reach 10,000 crowns. For national cultural monuments, fines can be as high as half a million crowns. “We do not have any deteriorating national cultural monuments,” the director stated.
    For example, the Ministry of the Interior followed the conservationists' guidelines and had the roof of the Old Town fortifications tower on Bartolomějská Street replaced.
    Abandoned and sometimes deteriorating monuments owned by the city include the houses U Sixtu near Old Town Square, although they are rented out. The city is currently selling the devastated Obecní dvůr near Haštalské Square, which will be repaired by a private investor. “Municipal buildings are gradually being renovated,” Kněžínk stated. He cited the recently completed restoration of the Domů pánů z Kunštátu as an example.
    According to Kněžínk, a major problem is the farms in the wider center and on the outskirts of Prague. He mentioned that they are hardly usable in a way that would allow owners to recoup their investments in repairs. Deteriorating farms include Cibulka in Prague 5 and Malovanka in the sixth district. According to the director, such sites can generally only be renovated with public funds. An example is Ladronka in Prague 6, which was reconstructed and completed at the expense of the local council and the municipal authority. It is now a base for the local recreational and sports complex.
    Heritage protection advocates from the Club Za starou Prahu do not deal with abandoned and deteriorating valuable buildings. The exception is cases where demolition is imminent, said club chairwoman Kateřina Bečková to ČTK. According to her, there are instances where an owner allows a building to deteriorate to have it demolished. This has happened in Žižkov and Karlín, according to Bečková.