The shape of the Green Gate in Pardubice will probably be decided by people in a referendum

Pardubice – Pardubice city councilors will vote on Thursday about holding a referendum in which people should decide whether they want to plaster the historically protected Green Gate or leave its masonry exposed. Deputy Mayor Jan Mazuch told ČTK. The councilors have already approved the proposal to call a plebiscite.

At the last council meeting, its members approved that the monument, which is a symbol of the city, should be plastered. Later, councilor Vít Ulrych (Coalition for Pardubice) and councilor Jan Hrabal (ANO) proposed holding a referendum, considering the topic important enough for the public to decide. They believe that plastering the 16th-century building would negatively change the appearance of the city center for a long time.

"The referendum should take place together with the elections to the Chamber of Deputies in the fall," said city hall spokesperson Radim Jelínek.

Deputy Mayor Mazuch voted on March 12 for maintaining the current state of the monument. It has been without a façade for over 100 years, as the city had it stripped in the spirit of historic purism. "I definitely won't vote for the referendum; it's a professional question, not that fundamental. Referendums should be used sparingly," said Mazuch.

According to councilor Petr Klimpl, politicians were intimidated by public debates on social networks. "The proposal for a referendum seems to me like a form of evasion, a way to shirk responsibility for what I decided as a councilor," Klimpl said.

Heritage experts have previously stated that a building without plaster degrades. Inside, the masonry is cold, and in summer, it heats up on the surface, which damages it. The plaster should protect the gate from weather fluctuations. According to experts, masonry conservation is inappropriate, as it is demanding to clean the stone surface and is ineffective. Moreover, it needs to be repeated in a few years.

The Green Gate is 59 meters tall and is a historical landmark of the city. The tower and foregate date back to 1507. It was damaged by fire in 1538. After the repair, it was raised by 13 meters. Since 1542, it has had its current roof form. In 1912, the city, at the proposal of architect Bóža Dvořák, removed the plaster.