Residents lean towards the return of the towers for a meeting

Prague - The residents of Prague 1 are in favor of the towers that were historically present to be included in the renovated Malostranská Beseda. This is according to a survey conducted by the city hall of the first district, as reported today by Jakub Vaculín from the city hall's external relations department. After the reconstruction, the building is to again host a cultural venue and restaurant.
    In the city hall survey, 57 residents from the left bank part of Prague 1 expressed support for the return of the three towers, while 43 people prefer the current appearance of the Beseda. "Although a large number of preservationists and experts agree with the restoration of the historical appearance of Malostranská Beseda, we also want to know the opinions of our fellow citizens," stated Mayor Petr Hejma (ODS).
    The restoration of the towers has support particularly among younger people. Residents who favored this option most often mentioned that it fits well into the environment and corresponds to "the city of a hundred towers."
    The building is expected to open after reconstruction around 2009. Malostranská Beseda should serve as a cultural and social center. There will be a multipurpose hall for concerts, theater, and entertainment, various courses and educational events, and a restaurant and café on the ground floor and basement. Total estimated construction costs, including the towers, are around 74 million crowns.
    Malostranská Beseda will be operated by the company 2media, whose programming proposal met the expectations of the local city hall's leadership. The annual rent will be approximately 1.3 million crowns.
    Malostranská Beseda was the town hall of the Lesser Town of Prague from the end of the 15th century to the late 18th century. In 1575, representatives of the non-Catholic nobility drafted a joint confession of faith, known as the Czech Confession. This event is commemorated by a bronze plaque. The current appearance of the building was achieved in the early 19th century when the gables and towers facing Malostranské Square were removed.