Prague will revive the spaces under the former statue of Stalin in Letná

Prague - The leadership of Prague wants to revive the underground spaces that were part of the former Stalin Monument in Letná. Deputy Mayor Matěj Stropnický (Troika/Green Party) has planned several cultural events for the summer months that will take visitors into this unique underground, which is otherwise inaccessible. Stropnický himself said this to ČTK today. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the unveiling of the infamous monument, which was nicknamed the meat queue.
    The vast spaces under the metronome and in its immediate vicinity will temporarily be made available to non-profit organizations, including a cultural center named Under Stalin and the Institute of Light Education. International competitions in freestyle scootering are planned for June. Stropnický is also negotiating with the organizers of the Prague Biennale festival and with the organizers of jazz and world music concerts. "These are great, somewhat mysterious spaces, suitable for various one-off cultural events," said Stropnický.
    The 22-meter-long granite monument sunk into the Letná slope was created in honor of the Soviet leader Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin. At its time, it became the largest, most expensive, and most bizarre sculpture in Europe. It was unveiled with great pomp on May 1, 1955. According to architectural historian Zdeněk Lukeš, the extensive underground that supported the gigantic monument was originally intended to serve as a monumental hall or communist mausoleum. However, the former regime never realized this idea. The monument stood for only seven years. In November 1962, it had to disappear due to changes in circumstances and the Soviet leadership. It was demolished and destroyed.
    The spaces have yet to find any use. Shortly after the Velvet Revolution, the extensive underground supported by a system of columns served as a club, from which Radio 1 broadcasted. Since then, various ideas have emerged on how to utilize the site. There was talk of creating a museum of totalitarianism, a café, or an oceanarium. However, everything remained at the level of considerations.