The magistrate has two deposits of sandstone suitable for Charles Bridge

Prague - The Prague City Hall has two locations from which sandstone could be extracted for the repair of the Charles Bridge. One is located near Kamenné Žehrovic by Kladno, the other near Březín in the Plzeň region. It is currently being assessed how much material is available in the deposits, Jiří Toman, director of the city investment department at the City Hall, said today to ČTK.
    Finding suitable sandstone has not been easy. The material should match the stone used during the Gothic period. It must also meet various engineering requirements to ensure durability. According to earlier information, there were eight locations under investigation.
    The complete renovation of one of Prague's most significant monuments could begin in March. The deck, including the stone railing, will be reconstructed. Sandstone from another already opened quarry will be used for the railing.
    The Charles Bridge is primarily to receive new waterproofing to prevent the masonry from being damaged by water infiltration. It will also have improved ventilation. New utilities are planned, and gas lighting is expected to be installed. The costs are estimated at 104 million crowns.
    Work will be carried out only on specific sections of the bridge to maintain pedestrian access. The construction site will be located on the river to avoid disrupting traffic on the bridge during material transport.
    Three candidates have applied for this exclusive contract according to the City Hall's website. They are the companies SMP CZ, JHP along with Strabag and Strabag AG, and Skanska CZ with Skanska DS, although according to the envelope opening protocol, their offer did not have all the required elements. Toman stated that the city council should select the construction company by the end of February.
    Price carries half the weight in the evaluation of offers, while warranty is another important criterion. In contrast, the duration of the renovation has only a five percent weight. City Hall representatives have previously emphasized that they prefer quality over haste. According to Toman, work on the deck is expected to last about a year and a half.
    Repairs to the masonry will take much longer, possibly even ten years. Every stone block will be examined by experts, who will determine whether it will be preserved, cleaned, or completely replaced. Interestingly, the original sandstone is in much better condition than the stone used during the bridge's repair in the 1970s.