Prague is seeking to attract more visitors by opening up its underground spaces for tourists, starting with the underground of the Old Town Hall. As domestic tourism in Prague surpassed foreign tourism for the first time in years, the city is looking to provide more attractions to keep visitors engaged. According to František Cipro, chairman of the board of Prague City Tourism, there are not many underground spaces in Prague that can be accessible to the public, but the underground of the Old Town Hall falls into this category.

The Old Town Hall underground contains both Romanesque and Gothic architecture, which has partially opened to visitors. The Prague City Tourism organization is now planning to prepare an initial study to determine whether a strong visitor flow is possible in these spaces, whether the unique and valuable historical Romanesque and Gothic masonry can withstand it, and whether changes in humidity and temperature caused by an increased number of people will not cause any problems.

The Prague Underground attraction is expected to become a significant tourist attraction and attract more visitors to the capital. However, there can be no talk of completely accurate deadlines, and Prague City Tourism hopes to open the Old Town Hall’s underground spaces and adjacent buildings in three to five years.

Currently, the casemates of Vyšehrad are the only historical underground object that visitors can explore in Prague, while the most significant underground spaces under historic buildings are still waiting to be discovered. The city’s councilor, Jiří Pospíšil, says the Prague Underground could become another major tourist attraction that is within the city’s power to attract even more visitors to the capital.

Opening up underground spaces is a great opportunity for cities to showcase their rich history and cultural heritage. Visitors can discover the hidden gems of ancient architecture and learn more about the city’s past. The success of the Prague Underground attraction will depend on the careful preservation of the historical sites and the management of visitor flows to avoid damaging the masonry.

Article by Prague Forum