Langweill's model of Prague will once again be made accessible to the public

Prague - Langweil's model of Prague, which depicts the historical core of Prague in paper form, will be open to the public again from April 11th. Visitors to the Museum of the Capital City of Prague in Florenc must now do without it, as it has been under repair and cleaning since last October. The museum also enables its digitization, meaning its conversion into a three-dimensional form, Prague councilor Milan Richter informed CTK today.
    "The first phase of digitization, which involves scanning individual objects, should be completed by early April,” Richter said. After the scanning is completed and cleaned, the model will be stored in a showcase with new lighting and supplemented with an information panel. A rotating camera will be placed by the model, bringing visitors detailed views into the center of the model.
    The digitization of the two-century-old model of Prague was initiated by the magistrate in cooperation with the museum at the end of last year. The conversion into three-dimensional form will require nearly 12.5 million crowns and is expected to be completed by May of next year. People will then be able to virtually walk through the nooks of the city center as it appeared in the first half of the 19th century, including streets from the Jewish Town that have since disappeared. The digital form of the unique model will also serve to heritage conservationists, architects, and urban planners. The results should appear on the city’s website within two years.
    The realistic Langweil's model of Prague was created between 1826 and 1837. It accurately documents the state of the city at that time. It depicts its historical core, including hundreds of houses in Josefov and the Old Town that have since been demolished. More than 2000 buildings are captured in the colored model at a scale of 1:480, with all the details of facades, courtyards, gardens, farm buildings, and plots. For many demolished buildings, the model is the only witness to their appearance.