Prague to restore fountain and gardens at long-neglected Vinohrady park

Last month, we wrote about extensive restorations to Prague's Čechův most, a city center bridge named after writer Svatopluk Čech, that would bring the bridge's flaming torches and spewing hydras to life. This week, Prague 2 announced that it had started work on reviving another city locale named after the famed writer.

The city district hopes that Svatopluk Čech Park, a spacious but long-neglected park between Náměstí Míru and Jiřího z Poděbrad, will come back to life this summer with extensive renovations to its central fountain and surroundings.

Prague 2 announced on social media that work had begun on renovating the park earlier this week, with hopes that it would be completed in time for the summer holidays.

The bulk of the renovations concern the park's central fountain, which will be completely overhauled. Two dozen new jets spraying streams of water and mist will be installed at the fountain, which will be separated into an above-ground area that can be walked through as well as a larger pool.

“The condition of this central part of the park and especially the water feature was really sad," Václav Vondrášek, Deputy Mayor for the Environment, Construction and Territorial Development and Monument Care, stated in a press release.

"I am therefore glad that we were finally able to start implementing a project that will turn the whole space into a full-fledged relaxation zone. Not only the existing water element, but also the immediate surroundings will undergo the transformation. The surrounding sidewalks and the park's furniture will be restored. The grass by the water feature will be watered automatically."

The total cost of the project runs just under 40 million crowns. A unique element incorporated into the fountain area will be an excerpt from the works of the Czech writer whom the park was named after.

Svatopluk Čech is best known for his 19th-century poems about Slavic unity and the Czech nation and its people, as well as his satirical novels. The bridge in Prague's city center is one of the most famous monuments to be named after him, but numerous streets, parks, and other locations around the Czech Republic also bear his name.

Prague 2 city officials hope that additional water features at Svatopluk Čech Park, and elsewhere around the city, will bring some relief to residents on increasingly hot summer days.

“Water features are very popular among our residents and especially children. On hot summer days, when the streets are hot, everyone will benefit," says Prague 2 Mayor Alexandra Udženija.

"That is why we are increasing their number every year, and currently our citizens and visitors can find them in a total of 15 places, in parks, on the streets and in squares. The new water element at Svatopluk Čech Park will not only dominate the entire park, but will also be a welcome refreshment for everyone."