Prague residents rally to reopen Kasárna Karlín culture hub

Around two dozen residents gathered outside the Prague 8 district office on Wednesday to call for the reopening of Kasárna Karlín, a cultural and social center in the Karlín district. The demonstration, which remained peaceful, sought clarity on the venue’s future after local authorities halted its activities due to zoning and permit issues.

The Prague 8 Building Department shut down the center in June 2024, citing unauthorized use of building structures and noncompliance with zoning regulations. While the city revised the zoning plan last December, an additional building permit is still required for approval. However, the application remains incomplete, according to city officials.

“The developer has already requested two deadline extensions to complete the application, both of which were granted. The latest deadline is set for Feb. 28, 2025, but the application is still incomplete,” said district spokesman Martin Šalek.

Kasárna Karlín, operated by the city-owned Trade Centre Prague (TCP), first opened in 2017 and became a popular venue featuring an open-air cinema, concerts, bars, cafes, and recreational facilities. The historical 19th-century building, a protected monument since 1958, previously served military purposes under Czechoslovakia and later the Czech Republic.

Since January last year, the City of Prague has owned the entire heritage-protected site, which claimed it as part of an exchange with the Czech state. "We stand by the fact that the center should remain in the barracks," Prague Councilor Adam Zábranský said last year.

Protesters held banners reading “Give the barracks back to the people” and “The barracks are waiting.” A local resident emphasized the center’s significance, saying, “I went there with my children. It hosted various activities, from children’s groups in the morning to yoga in the evening.”

City representatives have stated that resolving the issue is up to Prague’s municipal government, which acquired the property from the state last year. TCP spokesman Ondřej Šrámek confirmed the company’s intention to restore cultural programs at the site but could not provide a timeline. Meanwhile, legal proceedings to determine the building’s future are ongoing.

The Czech government previously attempted to sell the Karlín Barracks multiple times without success. Now under city ownership, the site remains in limbo as residents push for its revival as a cultural hub.