Experts: Non-conceptual construction irreversibly changes the character of the Vltava banks

Prague - Insensitive construction of high-rise buildings and large residential projects on the banks of the Vltava River is irrevocably transforming the character of the most beautiful places in Prague. This was stated to journalists yesterday by the chairwoman of the Club for Old Prague, Kateřina Bečková. Not only are rare architectural monuments disappearing from the vicinity of the river, but under tons of concrete, places that could serve as parks or sports facilities are also being lost.
    Members of the club particularly point out the unplanned manner in which new construction is being planned along the banks of the Vltava. According to Richard Biegel, the metropolis also lacks an institution for a chief architect that could establish and guarantee the urban vision for Prague for the next decade.
    Even the historic core of the capital, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992, does not have binding regulations that set, among other things, the height and volumes of new buildings. For example, the high-rise building named Lighthouse on the Holešovice bank is intended by developers to be joined in the future by a group of skyscrapers reaching heights of up to 150 meters. The tallest building in Holešovice would correspond in height to the height of St. Vitus Cathedral in Hradčany. "It would thus become a new landmark of Prague," Biegel pointed out.
    The fate of Štvanice Island, which has served exclusively as a place for recreation and relaxation since the 16th century, is also unclear. The company that obtained it for long-term lease over ten years ago promised to build public sports facilities. However, to date, it has not made the leisure space accessible to Prague residents. The fate of the local ice rink, which was declared a cultural monument in 2000, is also still unclear.