The reconstruction of Wenceslas Square has begun, the stalls have disappeared

Prague - The stalls with refreshments have disappeared today from the lower part of Prague's Wenceslas Square. The construction company Hochtief has started the reconstruction of this part of the square. The repair will cost 330 million CZK and is expected to be completed in 2021. The stalls were also removed from the upper part, and they are unlikely to return to the square. The reconstruction in the lower part will expand the space for pedestrians at the expense of cars, and water drinking fountains and greenery are to be added. In the future, the appearance of the upper part of Wenceslas Square will also change, as according to plans by the city leadership, trams are to return there.

"Preparatory construction work has begun on Wenceslas Square. In the first phase, in addition to construction work, it is necessary to place traffic signs in the area that inform about the adjusted traffic situation," said Hofman.

The stall owners did not have a contract with the city, and the city was engaged in lengthy court disputes with them, in which it was successful. The city began closing stalls about eight years ago, when some disappeared and one of them became an information center.

Workers will replace the pavement in the square. There will be more space for pedestrians and fewer parking spaces. In the middle of the square, there will be recreational areas including a fountain. The originally planned ramps for underground garages, part of the Savarin development project by Crestyl, will not be built, against which residents protested, and which the city hall also opposed. Instead, the city agreed with the developer that a new entrance to the A subway station Můstek will be created in its building.

Forty-five trees will be planted, as the current ones are in poor condition. They will be gradually replaced with new ones. Additional trees will be added to the current row of trees in the future. Only small-leaved linden trees will be planted in the square.

The city leadership is also planning a reconstruction of the upper part of the square, where tram tracks are to return. They should run along the route of today's car lanes. In the past, the tracks were located in the center of the square. Here too, additional rows of trees will be planted, parking spaces will decrease, and the central area will be expanded compared to the original plan.

Wenceslas Square is 682 meters long and approximately 60 meters wide. It was originally named Horse Market and was established by a decree of Charles IV. In the 19th century, it was first renamed St. Wenceslas Square and later to Wenceslas.