The construction of the building for Mucha's Epic will probably not start until 2008

Prague - The construction of the building for the Slav Epic by Alfons Mucha is likely to begin at the Exhibition Grounds in Prague 7 in 2008. If no difficulties arise, the new exhibit hall could then be finished within a year, said Jiří Toman, director of the municipal investor department of the city council, to ČTK. The preparation of the construction has been delayed due to a relatively long zoning process. During this process, it is determined whether the building can be placed at the Exhibition Grounds.
    According to the original plans, construction was supposed to start last year. Even at the beginning of this year, there was talk of this year. The construction of the house for the cycle of monumental paintings is one of the top priorities for the new councilor for culture, Milan Richter. "I will strive to ensure that the project is realized," Richter stated.
    A modern building with a steel structure is to appear on Brussels Road, which will look like a box built on its edge. The paintings should have an ideal microclimate inside. The costs are estimated at 150 million crowns.
    Next year, the city should obtain a building permit, after which a company will be selected to construct the building. Preparatory work could begin at the end of next year, with actual construction starting in 2008, Toman mentioned.
    How long the construction will take will depend on whether underground engineering networks need to be relocated or not, according to him. This will be determined only during the process, which will be concluded with the issuance of the building permit. If the networks do not need to be relocated, the construction would take about a year, added the department director.
    Currently, the Epic is located in the castle in Moravský Krumlov in the Znojmo area. Talks about moving it back to the capital have been ongoing for many years. There have been several proposals for where the work should be displayed, the latest being the Clementinum. However, that would not meet the painter's requirement, city officials argued. Mucha (1860 - 1939) donated the paintings to Prague with the condition that they be exhibited in a hall built for these purposes.