Right at the beginning it will be interesting to mention one of compelling visions, which was published by Petr Vojáček, student of the Faculty of Architecture, CVUT, in his bachelor’s project in 2007. He proposed an adjustment of terrain and construction of a view-tower at the lower end of the island. His proposals can be viewed in the photo gallery. It should be mentioned that in 2007, Petr Vojáček was nominated for Oloveny Dusan, an award for students of architecture for an outstanding project. The fact that he in the end did not receive the award does not mean that his proposal could not become one of the options how to revive Štvanice.
Power station not only for prominent people
The view-tower would be in opposition to the oldest building on the island – a hydro power station built between the years 1907 and 1914. Its gallery offers a great view on the city centre. The power station, which was built as a part of the river Vltava’s navigation and is a continuation of the weir, was out order from 1972 until 1988, when its operation was renewed.
Metrostav Praha renewed inlets, the machine room, the old equipment was replaced with new. New turbines were supplied by CKD Blansko, just as the turbines for the weir in Modřany whose construction was finishing at that time. Three of Kaplan’s turbines have the power of 5020 kW.
It was said , at the time of the final stage of the construction, that the power station could cover the needs of Prague’s public lighting. The station had also another purpose. In case of war, it was supposed to supply electricity to the nearby building of UV KSC. In this respect, the power station lost its sense after the year 1989, yet it still supplies electricity to the distribution network system.
Amongst other plans, which have not been and in this precise case will probably not be realised, was the idea of a musician and a businessman Martin Kratochvil to build a heliport on Štvanice. He announced his intention in 1994 at the time when he was planning to sell a part of Bonton. The heliport was to serve Na Františku hospital and a nearby hotel Hilton Atrium.
Footbridge instead of Hlávkův Bridge
At the beginning of 1999, the then new Mayor of Prague Jan Kasl spoke about the Council‘s statement of policy. Its priorities were, among others, the completion of the Prague Congress Centre, finding an investor to finance and use the land in Maniny, Rohansky and Libensky Island and Štvanice. At the end of the same year, it was announced that a construction of a footbridge between Karlin, Štvanice and Holešovice was being prepared. So far, it had only been possible to reach Štvanice via Hlavkuv Bridge. The footbridge was also supported by the Town Hall of Prague 7.
„The idea to build a footbridge in that place is quite old, however, lately, we have started to work on it,“ said deputy mayor Stepan Hasal. The City Hall was planning to announce an architectonic competition for the bridge from Holešovice to Štvanice. The bridge would in the end reach as far as Rohansky Island in Karlín.
Everybody liked the plans
In 2000 the winning proposals for the footbridge between Holešovice and Karlín were already chosen. The first place was awarded to Alena Sramkova’s team. However, its realisation will not take place. All was changed by the floods in 2002. The Karlín part of the footbridge will, however, come to existence. Karlín’s investors who have been transforming this city district into a housing and administrative centre should contribute to it.
Also one company was chosen in 2000 to revive Štvanice. The German Club Meridian Company was planning to invest approximately one milliard for the revitalization. The company was bound, by a contract signed with the city, to build relaxation areas, open sports grounds, playgrounds and a public ice-rink in the eastern part of Štvanice and sports and spa facilities and a lodging house or a small hotel in the western part within 45 weeks following the signature of the contract. And of course, the whole island was to be conceived as a park.
Floods changed everything
The flood in 2002 changed everything. It is interesting that all the buildings on Štvanice survived this disaster, even the wooden winter stadium with the first artificial ice surface built in 1932. The stadium was a witness of numerous victories of the Czechoslovakian team. In 1956, the stadium was covered with a roof and since 2006 it has been listed as a protected monument. Whole generations of Praguers have been going there to ice-skate and they all hope that the stadium will last for some time. The tennis centre built in 1986 also was not badly damaged.
The flood delayed all plans, because the city had to invest elsewhere, e.g. in the anti-flood measures, which cost three milliard CZK. “Two years ago, we were negotiating dates, now it is the turn of the company MeridianSpa,” said the deputy mayor Pavel Klega. “It is in our interest to revive Stvanice, it is also a part of the statement of policy. I understand that now the MeridianSpa has to discuss with the preservationists the part going from Hlavkuv Bridge towards the city centre. Nonetheless, we would be glad to see the work begin on the eastern side. We would like the investor to show his good will and to start creating a relaxation zone in that area.”
“As for the project of the footbridge from Holešovice, it is not possible to follow the original plans, yet I believe, that there is a solution, how to make a pedestrian connection between Holesovice and Stvanice in the course of the planned reconstruction of Hlavkuv Bridge.”
Brief History of Stvanice
In the 16th century, there was a number of bigger and smaller islands in the place of today’s Štvanice and it has to be said that even in the 19th century water flowed in today’s Pobrezni Street and boats were sailing that way to a dock. At the end of the 17th century an arena was built in Štvanice, where bearhunting, but also deer, bull and cowhunting used to take place until 1816. This entertainment had been banned several times, but there was always somebody who eluded the law. This is how the island got its name. German inhabitants of Prague called the island Hetzinsel, which was in Prague’s German shortened to Hec. Štvanice was also renowned for firework displays for which a special auditorium similar to theatre auditoriums was built. There were also restaurants on the island and at the end of the 19th century, in 1877 Eugenio Averino also built a place for variety shows there. Then, ice houses were built there which supplied Prague’s restaurants with ice even in the 70’s of the last century. This was in 1883. Also the river Vltava serves as a sports ground. After the reconstruction of the lock chambers between the years 1984 and 1987 the river has been serving as a track for water slalom.
Oskar Exner