The representatives of Prague rejected the permission to build the Marian column

Prague – The capital city still disagrees with the placement of a replica of the Marian Column in the Old Town Square. Today, the councilors rejected a revocation of the original dissenting opinion from 2017, proposed by councilors Jan Wolf (KDU-ČSL), Jan Čižinský (Prague Sobě), Jiří Pospíšil (TOP 09), and Martin Benda (Prague Sobě). The opposition parties ODS and ANO did not participate in the discussion, as their councilors left home in protest against the length of the proceedings before 3:00 AM. The councilors voted on the item at 5:15 AM, and the proposers unsuccessfully attempted to withdraw it before the vote.

The proposers of the motion wanted to revoke the original dissenting resolution and simultaneously allow sculptor Petr Váňa and his collaborators to occupy the site in Old Town Square where the column stood until 1918. The condition would be that the Ecumenical Council of Churches and the Czech Bishops' Conference agree on the placement first. After a two-hour discussion, councilor Wolf stated that he wanted to withdraw the revocation proposal, which was not voted in favor by the councilors.

The 17th-century column was toppled by a crowd in 1918 because it was seen as a symbol of the Habsburg monarchy. Its return has been discussed since the 1990s. Proponents of its restoration consider it a symbol and a remembrance of the defenders of Prague during the Thirty Years' War and a significant Baroque work of art. According to opponents, it is a symbol of Habsburg oppression and the intolerant re-Catholicization of the country.

"It is clear that we will have to return to this debate," said the chairman of the United Forces for Prague (TOP 09 and STAN) Jiří Pospíšil. He added that for him, the ecclesiastical question or the symbolic interpretation of the column's role in Czech history is not so significant. In his opinion, its importance as a monument, which can complement the square and restore its original form, is also important.

Mayor Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates) stated that he considers the approach of supporters of the column, who tried to place it in the square without the agreement of the capital city, unfortunate. He was also bothered by the fact that the proposed measure would transfer the decision to ecclesiastical organizations. "If we are not able to reach a conclusion about what should stand in perhaps the most significant square in the UNESCO zone, then it is appropriate to ask what we are actually doing here," he said.

Until the early morning hours, representatives of both supporters and opponents of the column's placement awaited the discussion of the item. Opponents stated that the council made its position clear in 2017 and that the construction should not take place on the site. According to them, the Marian Column does not reconcile, but rather provokes disputes and symbolizes Habsburg oppression after the Battle of White Mountain.

However, supporters claim that the column was created as a reminder of the defense of Prague against the Swedes in 1648 and is a symbol of peace. "I would be very pleased if those people who speak of reconciliation worked on that reconciliation so that there are beautiful monuments here in Prague," said the author of the column's replica, Petr Váňa.

On Saturday, he placed part of the column's railing and a petition stand in the square. He stated that they plan to remain at the site until the column is erected, which he believes he has the right to do since he has a construction permit. According to city representatives, however, the column cannot be built without land occupation and permission from the owner. Váňa told ČTK today that he removed the stand and balustrade from the square before the council meeting as a gesture of goodwill towards the city.