The base of the Marian column was disrupted by a cable conduit, archaeologists found out

Prague - The foundations of the Marian Column from the mid-17th century in Prague's Old Town Square, which a crowd tore down in November 1918 after the establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic, were disturbed at several locations in the last century, mainly by excavations for cable installations. This was discovered by archaeologists who uncovered and documented the foundations of the original monument before constructing a replica of the column. The Prague branch of the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) informed the ČTK about the research today.

Due to the extent of the construction excavation, archaeologists could only examine the upper part of the column's foundation. "The surface of the foundation was disturbed in several places during the 20th century, most significantly by excavations for a cable duct crossing the preserved structure," the heritage officials stated. The archaeologists also documented the rounded western corner of the foundation; both southern corners were recorded during a survey in 2015.

Under the square's pavement, there was about a twenty-centimeter-thick concrete layer dating back to the 1980s over the original column's foundations. Only a fragment of the foundation has survived, resulting from attempts to demolish it in 1918. "Among the materials used in the foundation, crushed limestone predominates, partly supplemented by fragments of quartzites, river boulders, reused bricks, or fragments of architectural elements made of sandstone or reddish limestone. Everything was thoroughly filled with lime mortar," described the NPÚ.

Before the creation of the concrete foundation slab for its replica, the original foundation walls were covered with construction fabric. According to the heritage officials, the original masonry of the foundation will thus remain fully preserved. The NPÚ will prepare a report on the findings during this year.

Work on the construction of the column's replica began on February 17 this year and is expected to last until mid-September. The project was initiated by the Society for the Restoration of the Marian Column in Old Town Square in Prague. The replica of the column was created by sculptor Petr Váňa. Once completed, the column will become the property of the city. The return of the column to the square has been accompanied by long-standing disputes. The original column was toppled by the crowd in 1918 because they saw it as a symbol of the Habsburg monarchy. Discussions about its return have been ongoing since the 1990s.

Prague councilors previously repeatedly refused to agree to the placement of the replica of the original column. Last year, sculptor Váňa transported the copied column in about 250 pieces to Prague by boat and subsequently attempted to start construction in the square, but the police prevented further progress due to the lack of a construction site occupation permit. The situation changed this January when a majority was found in the council to revoke the city's original dissenting opinion. Following that, the Technical Administration of Communications (TSK) granted permission for the construction site occupation.