Pankrác district in Prague

High-rises To Appear In Prague

About half a year ago UNESCO protested against building the new skyscrapers in Pankrác, a district of Prague. Some representatives of the UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee visited the Czech capital in the spring last year and concluded that the new buildings are too high. These new edifices worsen look of well-preserved architecture landscapes of Prague’s historic center.

The Committee advised to limit the height of the new skyscrapers to some 60-70 meters, while the above mentioned high-rises in Pankrác were planned to have 80 and 104 meters in height, which according to the UNESCO experts point could cause negative visual impact on the historic buildings.

But recently the City Hall practically permitted to proceed with the construction ignoring the World Heritage Committee’s suggestions. The city bosses excuse themselves on account that this decision was made before the UNESCO mission visit.

The online daily Aktuálně.cz quoted the document approved by City Council: "The standing proposed buildings of 80 and 104 metres were approved before the July meeting of the World Heritage Committee. Buildings newly designed after the monitoring mission, which took place in the spring of 2008, will comply with the mission's recommendations and with the decision of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of the Cultural and Natural Heritage."

Photo: Pankrác district in Prague, by Chmee2 (wikimedia.org)

Date: 26/01/2009