The Platýz Palace will undergo renovations at the end of August

Prague - The Palác Platýz in Prague is set to undergo a year-long renovation. Workers will begin repairing the building, which dates back to the time of Emperor Charles IV, at the end of August. In addition to restoring historical artifacts, life is expected to return to the house. It will actually be used for living, as councilor Pavel Klega communicated to journalists at today's press conference.
    "The northern wing of Platýz was previously used as offices, and especially in the 1980s, a number of non-original, unsightly constructions were made here," Klega said. Conservators will restore, for example, the medieval stone pillar in the vestibule and a bust on the staircase along with its cladding. The treatment will also include the decorated beam ceiling with original Renaissance ornamental and figurative painting on the fourth floor and 17th-century wall paintings in two rooms one floor below. However, modern elements such as contemporary partitions and surfaces will be removed.
    The workers, however, cannot rely on period documents during the renovation. "We have a minimum of historical materials," said Bohumil Mach, general director of Trade Centre Prague, which manages the building.
    The construction work will also include structural adjustments, new engineering networks, plastering, tiling, and flooring. The workers will not forget about the windows and lighting. The municipality will pay about 54 million crowns for the repairs.
    Last year, the city had the courtyard awning restored, and the first staircase has already been repaired. "In the future, we plan to continue with renovations in the areas of the second and third staircases. A gradual modernization of the elevators, restoration of the courtyard facade, and paving in the atrium are also in the plans," Klega added.
    The building will create ten new apartments. Their average size will be around 100 square meters. The town hall wants to prevent the depopulation of the center with this step. "The neoclassical reconstruction in the 1930s was adapted by architect František Krásný for modern living and commerce," Klega stated. According to historical documents, Platýz is believed to have been the first apartment building in Prague. The tenants will be selected by the municipality through a competition for the highest offered rent. Therefore, residents will pay market rent.
    "Next week, the construction site will be handed over, and the repairs will take 12 months," Mach said. The planned repairs should limit visitors to Platýz only minimally. All scaffolding will be possible to bypass. "We will maintain the existing passages to the atrium of the building from Národní třída, Martinská Street, and Uhelný trh, as well as to the shops and restaurants here," Mach stated. "Access will be limited to just a few minutes while materials are being delivered," he added.
    In the past, there were craftsman's workshops and an inn in the building. "The little owl, which symbolized whether the inn was open, comes from this era," Mach said. People can still see the owl at the entrance to the building from Národní třída.
    The palace was founded in 1347 by a courtier of Charles IV, Prince Fridrich Burgundský, on the site of three original houses close to the town walls. In Hájek's Chronicle, it is described as resembling a castle with a tall tower. In 1586, it was bought by Jan Platais from Plattenstein, an imperial councilor and secretary to Rudolf II. The Sternberg family brought Baroque elements to the house in the 17th century. In 1813, it was then purchased by Knight František Daubke, who had it transformed into an apartment building by builder Jindřich Hausknecht. The last modifications were carried out by Slavia Bank and architect František Krásný between 1938 and 1939.