In the place of the planned fountain in H. Králové, an archaeological survey has begun

Hradec Králové - An archaeological survey began on Monday at the site of the future fountain in the historic Great Square in Hradec Králové. The work of archaeologists has limited parking in the western part of the square near the former town hall No. 1, where the fountain is to be built, the town hall noted today. The archaeological work is expected to last until the end of May. The design of the fountain was chosen by the city last year in an architectural and artistic competition. Its installation will be part of the overall reconstruction of the Great Square that the city is planning.

After the survey is completed, cars will not return to the area where the fountain will be located. The area will have a gravel surface instead of asphalt, and during the reconstruction of the square, there will be a so-called leisure zone with seating. The city has already created such a place on the eastern side of the square near the historic well. Since last May, the well has been surrounded by the wooden artistic installation Corral, which offers a view of the Great Square. "Temporary transformations aim to enhance the public space of the square until its overall reconstruction," the town hall stated.

The area of the Great Square is relatively rich in archaeological finds. Recently, archaeologists discovered a sewage pit from the 13th century during the reconstruction of underground spaces in the northern part of the Gallery of Modern Art. Last year, in Tomkova Street, they uncovered a wooden walkway from the second half of the 13th century, which was adjacent to half-timbered wooden buildings on the southern side.

The city received 54 proposals for the architectural competition for the fountain. The winning design was by sculptor Tomáš Pavlacký and architect Petr Preininger. Their fountain consists of nine variously sized vessels made of ochre-colored high-strength concrete, over which water flows. The surface of the vessels will resemble stone, and people will be able to walk among them. One of the vessels is lower, while the others resemble vases. The fountain is intended to reference the modern architecture of Hradec Králové.

A petition against the selection of the winning design was created in the autumn, which has been signed by 674 people online so far. According to critics, the proposed fountain is unsuitable for the historic center in terms of material or industrial appearance. According to the authors of the winning proposal, criticism is a natural part of public debate, especially when it comes to modern works in a historical context. They described the petitioners' arguments as vague, misleading, or completely untrue.

In the western part of the Great Square, three fountains stood in succession in the past. The first, named Jiříkova, was built in the second half of the 15th century and was adorned with elaborate sculptural decorations. In 1782, it was replaced by a fountain with simple decoration. After its demolition in 1873, a cast-iron fountain stood in the square until 1937. It was supposed to be replaced by a monument to Jan Žižka, which did not happen.