Prague is completing the reconstruction of the Baroque Clam-Gallas Palace
09.03.2022 13:05:00
He wants to revive Mozart’s legacy, which is connected with the palace
The Clam-Gallas Palace in the center of Prague is gradually regaining its beauty after more than three years of restoration work and major repairs. The important Baroque palace building, which at the time represented the housing of the highest social classes of the Viennese court, was also allegedly Mozart’s place of work. It is his legacy that the capital wants to use to cultivate inbound tourism. The total revitalization should cost about 460 million crowns and the first premises should be opened to the public this summer.
“In the main, we want to make Mozart and his legacy and the function of the city of Prague more present on the cultural map of Europe. In the field of classical music, we definitely have something to add. Czech history is proud of its names such as Josef Mysliveček, Bedřich Smetana, Leoš Janáček and many others. We will be very happy if we manage to turn this rich potential into a concrete result, “says Hana Třeštíková, Councilor. m of Prague for culture and tourism.
In the 18th century, the Clam-Gallas Palace was one of the centers of cultural and social life. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven and Josefína Dušková reportedly performed here. The palace should return to its original purpose in some respects – it will be the only baroque palace in Prague fully accessible to the public. After the reconstruction, the city of Prague could place the Baroque here, and in the other areas of the museum there could be a restaurant, a café or a gallery shop. The city could then use part of the space for social and cultural events.
“The most technologically demanding part of the reconstruction was the static intervention in the portals, when it was only during the works that it was discovered that both portals could roll into Husova Street, because the load-bearing wooden elements were in poor condition. They managed to be sensitively replaced by a steel structure, so from the point of view of statics, everything is now in order, “describes Lukáš Stránský, the authorized director of the services department of the Prague City Hall.
After the reconstruction of this palace complex in the historic city center, the capital wants to open up more to the people of Prague, who in recent years have not had much opportunity to visit this tourist zone. The emphasis on local people, the city’s needs and the cultivated foreign clientele are the main pillars of the Inbound Tourism Concept, which the capital approved at the end of 2020.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart loved Prague and liked to return to it, but according to Councilor Třeštíková, his legacy has not yet developed his legacy. In recent years, it has benefited from more commercial projects focused on tourism, while lovers of classical music and general culture are the ideal type of tourism that has the greatest benefit for the city.
“We are in contact with the organizer of the two largest music events in Salzburg and for the city we will look for and support forms of cooperation, leading to a world-class music event. Praguers and our city deserve it, “adds Hana Třeštíková.