The center of Prague has been a monument reserve for 50 years. It is extraordinary in its size and number of attractions – ČT24 – Czech Television
The Prague Monument Reserve occupies practically the entire center of Prague, it includes the Old Town with Josefov, Malá Strana, Hradčany with Prague Castle, Nové Město is Vyšehrad and parts of Vinohrady, Holešovice, Podolí and Smíchov. In addition, the reservation is surrounded by a protection zone with a total area of 8963 hectares.
A number of styles intermingle here – from Romanesque to Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque to Cubism or Functionalism. The monument reserve is extraordinary on a global scale, in addition to its size and number of sights, mainly the preservation of entire buildings, streets and squares. It contains more than 1,300 listed buildings, of which 28 are national cultural monuments, such as the Old Town Square with the Town Hall and the Týn Cathedral, Prague Castle and Charles Bridge.
Protection of important sites, but also complications for builders
A government decree of July 1971 set strict conditions for construction activities in the reserve. According to them, for example, all modifications of immovable monuments must be addressed and carried out with regard to the permanent security of their material substance.
During new construction and exterior modifications of unprotected buildings, attention must be paid to the architectural relations to the monuments. The solution and implementation of all transport and infrastructure constructions in the reservation must not disturb its environment and endanger individual monuments.
However, developments in recent decades have often threatened Prague’s monuments and especially their continued presence on the prestigious UNESCO list. Due to insensitive interventions (the demolition of Špaček’s house, the insensitive reconstruction of the Darex Palace on Wenceslas Square or the controversial building in the Myslbek gap) and the lack of construction regulation