Prague will be looking for a Christmas tree for another two months, so far it has eight tips
Decorating the tree on the Old Town Square. Photo: THMP
The Czech metropolis is once again looking for a tree for the largest Christmas markets on the Old Town Square. The organizer of the markets, the company Taiko, in cooperation with the companies Technology of the Capital City of Prague, has already announced the twelfth competition Hledá se strom. Those interested can send their tips for conifers that are suitable for construction in the very heart of Prague until the end of September. Eight tips have come in so far. This was reported by Taika’s spokesperson Hana Tietze.
This year’s Christmas markets will start in the center of Prague on November 26 and will last until January 6, 2023. “We believe that the Christmas markets will return to Old Town Square this year, so we are once again asking the public to send us their tips for Christmas trees. The winner will traditionally become the highlight of this year’s Christmas in Prague. The person who offers it or gives a tip on it will win ten thousand crowns according to the rules of the competition,” said Tietze.
Coniferous tree – Spruce, which will decorate the Old Town Square during Advent, can be found on private property as well as in public spaces. Tips can be sent for trees that are so-called overgrown and are beginning to be dangerous to their surroundings, so it is necessary to cut them down for safety reasons, or they are standing on building plots.
Last year’s Christmas tree came from a private plot in the village of Pěnčín in the Liberec region. It also emerged from the Hledá se strom competition, where interested parties sent around thirty tips. It grew to a height of 22 meters for 54 years.
Those interested can send tips to the email [email protected]. The ideal tree is the Norway spruce. It must have uniform branching, a regular trunk and should be approximately 23 to 25 meters tall. Subsequently, it will be adjusted to a safe height of 22 meters.
In addition, after last year’s experience, it is not necessary for the tree to grow directly next to the road. “Last year, we verified that, thanks to the technology, we are also able to repair a tree that is not near the road without any problems. With the use of a crawler crane, we got the tree safely onto a tractor with a semi-trailer,” explains Petr Hozák. A loaded tree is roughly four to five meters wide after securing the branches.
The tree will first undergo a dendrological survey by experts, who will determine whether it is suitable for placement on the Old Town Square.