The Malvazinky Colony in Prague 5 will likely be a heritage zone

Prague - The colony of terraced houses from the early 1920s in Prague's Malvazinky will likely become a heritage zone. On Monday, the council of Prague 5 agreed with the proposal from the Ministry of Culture. The spokesperson for the municipal district, Lucie Fialová, informed the journalists about this. After the approval from Prague 5, the proposal will proceed for discussion at the city hall. In the last month, this is the second area in this municipal district that is heading for heritage protection. In mid-August, the council agreed to declare a heritage zone in the villa district of Cibulky.

The Malvazinky colony consists of terraced houses on narrow plots. They originate from the early 20s of the 20th century and were inhabited by people from the lower middle class. "The Malvazinky colony is an exceptionally well-preserved residential urban complex in the context of Prague. It is characterized by a consistent distinctive period style and a uniform small scale, probably inspired by the historic working-class housing of English suburbs," states the justification of the ministerial proposal.

The construction of the houses began after Prague purchased fields north of the Malvazinky cemetery following World War I. The heritage zone is to include the area between Xavierova, Pravoúhlá, and Přímá streets. Any construction modifications, renovations, demolitions, or new constructions in this area will require approval from heritage conservators if the zone is declared. The aim is to ensure that changes do not disturb the historical character of the district.

In 2022, the Prague 5 municipal office requested the extension of the City Heritage Zone of Smíchov, declared in 1993, to include the Cibulky area, in connection with efforts to demolish a villa built in the early 20th century on Nad Výšinkou Street. The demolition ultimately did not take place due to local residents' and self-government opposition, but the municipality wanted to prevent similar cases in the future. According to Fialová, the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) stated that expanding the existing Smíchov heritage zone is inappropriate and recommended that the most valuable districts - Cibulky and Malvazinky - become separate heritage zones.

"I am very pleased that the Ministry of Culture has followed up on our proposal from 2022 and is now taking a concrete step to protect the unique urban and architectural heritage of Malvazinky," said the mayor of Prague 5, Lukáš Herold (ODS). According to the municipal office, the last heritage zone in the metropolis was created more than 20 years ago in Střešovičky in Prague 6.