<Mělník> wants to make another part of the underground under the <náměstí> accessible

Mělník - The Mělník Town Hall will open to the public this Saturday a historic well from the 14th century, officially the widest in the Czech Republic. It also aims to open other parts of the city's underground. Work is currently underway to make several cellars accessible, but the town hall's idea is a complete tour route through the underground, Jaromír Kovářík, the deputy mayor, told reporters today.
    The opening of the historic well is expected to be the first step towards the opening of the entire complex of corridors under Mělník's Míru Square. "Currently, a plan is in place to make the cellars beneath building number 11 accessible," the deputy mayor said. This house is located in the square above the Prague Gate, and its cellar is not the only one being worked on for opening. Recent excavation work revealed an entrance to other spaces that presumably served as a wine cellar. "Some of them are situated beneath the square and some beneath the town hall," Kovářík noted.
    The city wants to make this cellar accessible to the public as well, and in the future, it should become part of the tour route through the Mělník underground. This is the town hall's goal: "Right now, we have the well, which is beautiful, but it's just a way there and back. There are many other corridors visible that would be a shame not to utilize," Kovářík said.
    However, the city admits that building such a route would be financially very demanding, and the exact costs are not yet known. "We expect there will be great interest in the tour of the well, and we would reinvest the financial resources gained back into the underground," Kovářík added. People will only be able to see the well for free on Saturday. From Sunday, entry will be charged; adults will pay 50 crowns for the tour, and children will pay half that amount.
    The entire Mělník square and its adjacent streets are undermined by a maze of corridors and cellars. The underground cellars are multi-level, and there are ongoing discussions about their purpose. It is certain that they were used particularly during times of threat to the city, when residents would hide there with their property. In peaceful times, they mainly served as storage areas for food and due to favorable conditions, also for storing wine.
    The well from the 14th century measures 4.53 meters at its widest point, making it the widest in the Czech Republic. Its depth is 46.02 meters. The well is now accessible via a medieval underground corridor 150 meters long, which can be entered from the courtyard of the former district office.