The Church of St. Michael is closer to reconstruction and new use

Prague - The owner of the St. Michael's Church, once controversially modified and operated as a historical monument in the city center, is requesting building permission for reconstruction from the authorities. After the reconstruction, the building should serve cultural and commercial purposes. He already has a recommendation from the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ), the project has been thoroughly assessed by municipal heritage experts, and today a panel of experts is gathering for the final statements regarding the building permit. However, nothing now stands in the way of starting the reconstruction.
    The building has seen no activity for several years, but many still recall the controversial tourist show, St. Michael's Mystery. The former church is owned by Michal Prague, a company belonging to a Liechtenstein foundation.
    "The aim of the project is mainly to remove the previous inappropriate modifications to the interior of this historical monument in the heart of Prague. Its new form should correspond to the location and the present time. It should also help to cultivate the immediate surroundings, where the most disreputable tourist attractions are located," said Lucie Kettnerová from Michal Prague to ČTK.
    The project plans to remove the reinforced concrete structure that was introduced during the first reconstruction carried out by the tenant in the 1990s and which was criticized by experts. Although the state, as the former owner, was dissatisfied with how the building was being operated, it ultimately decided to sell the church to the long-term tenant. The sale at what was reportedly an unfavorable price was the first step for the then newly appointed director of the National Library, Vlastimil Ježek, in his position.
    According to Kettnerová, the exterior of the building will not change in the planned reconstruction, with only some changes that are said to make the monument more authentic, such as a new roof covering. Inside, partitions and floors from the 1990s will be removed, and three floors in the form of lightweight and removable structures will be built around the former main nave. According to earlier statements from heritage experts regarding the project study, there is evidence of an effort to rectify damage and rehabilitate the building.
    What the specific purpose of the entire building will be is still uncertain for the investor. They envision a gallery with luxury original jewelry, clothing, or artistic objects. However, the construction will certainly take many months. After reconstruction, the building will be named Michal Palace.
    The former church property, which also includes another building, will connect with a passage from one of the buildings to the Old Town Square through the reconstruction. In the surrounding buildings, the multipurpose property is also expected to have facilities or storage.
    The author of the reconstruction project is Austrian architect Manfred Wehdorn, whom the owner chose due to his realizations in Vienna. His studio specializes in the reconstruction of heritage sites, and he contributed to the creation of the well-known Museumsquartier in Vienna and the reconstruction of buildings in the Schönbrunn Palace complex.
    The church has been the subject of disputes since the early 1990s. The building was in poor condition and was transferred in the 1980s to what is now the National Library, which was supposedly unsuitable for it. After attempts to offer the property to another state institution or to sell it at auction, the state ultimately signed a rental agreement in the 1990s valid until 2029. The tenant carried out a controversial reconstruction, albeit legalized by all relevant authorities, and the Ministry of Culture confirmed that he had invested nearly half a billion crowns. Therefore, the Ministry could not terminate the contract; ultimately, the state sold the property to the long-term tenant.
    Two years ago, students of arts disciplines from universities held public protests against the sale of the church. Numerous experts criticized the reconstruction of the church from the 1990s, and St. Michael was cited as a bad example of monument reconstruction on an international platform. Disputes also arose over the disrespectful treatment of skeletal remains found in the church.
    A representative of Michal Prague today assures that a new architectural historical survey was conducted in the property last January, as required by the NPÚ. He cites the statement from the heritage experts that a separate entrance to the crypt, where the bones are allegedly located, will be built.