“We have chosen the most attractive location in the centre of Prague; it enables both Praguers and visitors to watch the firework not only from the bridges and embankments, but also from the slopes of Petřín or from Prague Castle. Simultaneously, the show will be broadcast live so people all over the Czech Republic will be able to watch it on their TV screens,” said Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda.
Topic: Prague, the Mother of Towns
Ohňostroje Minergis company, which was chosen to organise the fire show, has prepared a fifteen minute show full of the colours and symbols of Prague – hence the name Prague, the Mother of Towns. Praguers can look forward to flower motives, fans, light crossroads, glitters, stars and a plethora of other pyrotechnic effects. Prague will see more than four thousand mainly lighting effects, the highest ones will fly up to 150 metres and all of them will go high enough to be visible above Prague Castle for those watching from the embankment or Legií Bridge.
Also on TV
By organising a midnight New Year firework production, Prague continues in a tradition that was briefly interrupted when over the past few years when the firework display was held on the evening of 1st January. Prague will have the chance to be broadcast live together with other world metropolises.
Fireworks to be detonated from pontoon
The fireworks will be detonated from the traditional place: the pontoon on Vltava river which provides a safe place and unique ambience with great views of the ceremonially lit Castle. The fireworks will cost CZK 1,500,000 without VAT, paid for by Prague City and partner companies Pražské vodovody a kanalizace, a. s. (CZK 100), and Pražská plynárenská a. s. (CZK 300 thousand).
Charles Bridge not suitable
According to the organisers, the effect of watching the firework from Charles Bridge is not ideal. Therefore they ask public not to watch it from there, also because they expect high concentration of people which will make work of rescue workers more difficult; should there be any problems, the bridge will be closed.
Best views
We recommend Praguers and visitors to watch the show from Smetana Embankment. Ideal is the view from Legií, Čechuv or Mánes bridges and adjacent embankments as well as from Petřín or Letna.
Traffic will be restricted
We alert drivers that the road leading from Mánes Bridge via Křižovnicka Street (in the section Karlova–Platnéřská) and Smetanovo Embankment (in the section Národní–Karlova) will be closed for cars in both directions between 10 pm and 5.5 am. Drivers can take the alternative route: Resslova–Jiráskův Bridge –Janáčkovo Embankment –Vítězná–Karmelitská–Malostranské Square–Letenská–Klárov– Embankment E. Beneše–Čechův Bridge.
Trams will be restricted according to the situation and there will be no trams in the time of the firework display. They will resume operation as soon as the embankment is clear enough to pass through.
Police will oversee traffic on Legií Bridge as well as on Masarykovo Embankment. In case you have to drive through the centre, we recommend the route: Čechův Bridge to lesser Town – Karmelitská, Újezd, Janáčkovo Embankment and Zborovská Street.
Cleaning works after the show:
Pražské služby company will be in charge of cleaning the most critical localities. Its workers will clean the roads and then pavements. Cleaning teams will be on the case cleaning the streets before 5 am.
Safety measures:
Security personnel will be posted at the closed northern part of Střelecky Island, that is the part leading from Legií Bridge in Vltava river flow direction. The following day, the place will be searched for possible unexploded pyrotechnic material and the island will be fresh again.
“We would like to give a big thank you to all employees of Prague City Council, Prague 1 Town Hall, fire workers, rescue workers and others for helping to maintain traffic and safety,” said the Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda.