Prague’s Effort to Protect the Lawn in Front of the Dancing House

Many cities have iconic spots where tourists flock to take playful photographs, often transported by tour buses.

Take Pisa, for example, where visitors use perspective tricks to appear as though they are holding up the leaning tower. In Prague, a similar scenario unfolds with the Dancing House, where the favored pose is “kicking the building.”

Recently, Prague City reseeded the lawn at Jiráskovo náměstí, which had been damaged by tourists taking the classic photo to share on social media. While the area is currently fenced off, it is expected to reopen to the public soon. The municipality plans to implement some restrictions to protect the newly planted grass.

Andrea Zoulová, spokesperson for Prague 2, stated that the municipality has been warning about the park’s poor condition, vandalism, and frequent disorder since 2018.

“Following an agreement with Prague 2’s management and complaints from citizens, we have revitalized the grass around the monument,” said Vít Hofman, spokesperson for the municipality.

Access to the area is currently restricted by mobile fences, and the lawn is regularly watered. Once the grass has grown sufficiently, the public will be allowed to return.

However, Hofman mentioned that some restrictions will remain to protect the new lawn. The entire revitalization project, including regular watering and securing the area, cost about CZK 200,000.

Plans are also underway to revitalize the entire plaza. “We have surveyed the monument’s foundation in collaboration with the Capital Gallery and the Department of Monument Conservation. We are finalizing the project documentation to apply for a combined zoning and construction procedure,” Hofman explained.

If everything proceeds smoothly, Prague 2 should receive an application for a joint planning and building permit later this year. The reconstruction of Jirásek Square itself, with the City of Prague as the investor, is expected to begin in two to three years.

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