Karlovo namesti subway station

Prague’s Largest Square To Be Reconstructed

Prague Daily Monitor informs that Karlovo náměstí (or Karlák as locals name it), the largest square in the Czech Republic and one of the biggest in whole Europe, is likely to be redesigned in the nearest future. The reconstruction is scheduled for 2010.

Karlovo náměstí is one of the oldest squares in the Czech capital which was established in the 14th century as a cattle market and served for this purpose over centuries. Its modern look began to take shape by the end of the 19th century due to František Thomayer who founded the park and perimetered it by trees.

Karlák is located within borders of area protected by UNESCO, but at the moment is rather disheveled and unkempt. The square is dissected by a road characterized by rather heavy traffic and the park seems to be untidy and dangerous at night. So in the whole Karlovo náměstí does not make an impression of a place having such an old and eventful history.

Local authorities believe that the square’s potential as a tourist attraction is considerably higher than that. The town hall has recently held an architectural contest of redesign projects. There have been submitted almost two dozens of various projects, but none of them, seems, impressed the jurors and none of them will be used as the plan for reconstruction. But the contest was aimed to give new ideas and create original concepts for redesign, so still it may help. The best projects will be exhibited at the New Town Hall from 23 December, 2008 until 1 February, 2009.

Photo: by Aktron (wikimedia.org)

Date: 16/12/2008