About 50 people protested against the demolition of the house next to the Jalta in Prague

Prague - Against the demolition of the corner building on Wenceslas Square next to the Jalta Hotel, where an administrative building is to be constructed, about 50 people protested today in front of the Ministry of Culture. The project is supposedly going to irreparably damage the historical appearance of the square, claim the organizers from the civic association Monitoring RING. They are therefore asking the ministry to reconsider possible heritage protection for the building.
The demolition was enabled by the former Minister of Culture Jiří Besser (STAN). Whether the building will actually be torn down will be decided by the building authority of Prague 1. The investor has apparently not yet applied for a demolition decree.
Parts of the public and experts have opposed the demolition in recent months. Some even after the final decision of the minister urged that the ministry address the issue further. They requested the initiation of proceedings to declare the building a cultural monument. However, the ministry did not heed their calls. According to some legal opinions, it is also uncertain whether a possible declaration of the building as a monument could prevent its demolition.
At the site of the corner building, the neighboring ruins of former printing houses, and the adjacent plots, the developer wants to build a modern administrative building. The project anticipates nine above-ground floors and three underground floors. It will include garages and an access ramp. The planned costs amount to two billion crowns.
"Demolition directly in a UNESCO zone is unacceptable," said Vítězslav Praks on behalf of the organizers of the demonstration. "Everything can be rebuilt, but a historical monument cannot," he added.
However, the investor disagrees. "Flow East is convinced that the Flower House project will not only elevate Wenceslas Square architecturally but will also contribute to improving its current unflattering condition," stated Tereza Procházková from the agency representing the developer.
The case was also addressed by the Senate last year based on a petition signed by 14,500 people. The disputed decision of the Ministry of Culture was also discussed by the Constitutional Court.