Experts: The current state of Old Town Square is a temporary solution

Prague - According to experts, the current state of Prague's Old Town Square is a temporary solution that is not sustainable in the long term. "It's not just an issue of completing the construction; the essence lies in broader considerations regarding the function of the square," stated Jiří Kotalík, the chairman of the working committee tasked with recommending further steps to the city leadership regarding a potential redevelopment of the square, at today's conference on the square's design.
Kotalík told reporters that he would present documents to the council by November for further action. However, holding an architectural competition is, according to him, a question for future stages. Currently, experts are trying to create an idea of how the square should look.
The results of the conference, attended by about a hundred people, will serve as important materials for further discussions, according to Kotalík. "The conference is an important crossroads at the end of the first stage," he noted.
The design of one of the most famous squares in the Czech Republic has been discussed by architects for over 100 years. The gap left by the non-original part of the town hall, which was destroyed during World War II, stirs the most emotions. A park now occupies the space.
Since 1901, eight architectural competitions have been announced, but none of the proposals have been realized. The reasons are mainly differing opinions on the concept of the building that should be constructed here.
Discrepancies in the views of experts and the public were also evident at today's conference. While some demand construction in a historical form, others call for greater modernity. "Sometimes, not building anything is a significant architectural act," Kotalík remarked, noting that the Prague environment is conservative and distrustful of new architecture.
Some speakers want the square to serve both tourists and local residents. "Old Town Square should not only be a museum," said Mayor Pavel Bém, for example.
Dean of the Faculty of Architecture at ČVUT Zdeněk Zavřel is calling for an international competition to be announced for the missing western part of Old Town Square. "When we look at post-war proposals, it is a helplessness of Czech architecture," he emphasized.
According to Věra Kučová from the National Heritage Institute, the public may not be ready for potential construction. People do not realize that St. Nicholas Church is not the original end of the square, she stated.
The Prague ODS brought forth a renewed idea for the completion of the town hall before the last municipal elections.