In the Golden Cross, according to the architect, modern Liberec was born

Liberec - The nickname Golden Cross belongs to the intersection of Vítězná Street and the promenade of Masarykova Street in Liberec, where one of the events of Architecture Days took place today. After the mountain hotel and transmitter and the city center, this location is the third most important in Liberec in terms of architecture, said Jiří Janďourek, head of the city architecture office, to ČTK today.

"In this area, modern Liberec was born in terms of thinking about how to live and how to exist," Janďourek stated. According to him, it is a very high-quality development and a generously conceived garden city. "For me, it is an exclusive place. I think that in terms of the quality of public space, as it was conceived, it can also absorb today’s needs. That means that even after a hundred years, it remains a high-quality place for living, for life," he added.

Just about 150 years ago, today’s Masarykova Street was just a winding dirt road from the center to the foothills of the Jizera Mountains, and there was practically no development there. A pond used to be located at the intersection. This area acquired much of its current appearance with representative villas during the city’s greatest expansion at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. "From an insignificant foothill town, Liberec transformed into a large city in Northern Bohemia," said today’s guide, architectural historian, and heritage conservationist Alena Řičánková. At that time, the classic intersection of Masarykova and Vítězná Streets was also created; until then, there was no road leading up to Husova Street.

At the intersection, an architecturally unique complex was founded at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, which comprises the North Bohemian Museum and two grand buildings that have different uses than in the past. The three-story former seat of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry is now a polyclinic, while the former baths of Emperor Franz Joseph I have transformed into a gallery. Nearby the intersection is the once-famous exhibition ground, built after World War II, which is turning into a technical museum.

The intersection will need adjustments to the traffic regime, as there is a tram line that intersects with busy passenger traffic. Janďourek advocates for preserving the concept from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. "From my perspective, the promenade Masarykova should be maintained as a dominant axis for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport. And it intersects there with Vítězná Street, which will be part of the inner city ring road," he stated. In the past, there were discussions about placing traffic lights at the intersection, which would disrupt the architectural character of this place. "We have prepared a conceptual solution where traffic lights will not be necessary," the architect said. An upgrade of the surfaces on Vítězná Street from the polyclinic towards the barracks is also being prepared. According to Janďourek, an avenue should be returned there along its entire length.