Prague, Feb 8 (CTK) – The 15th-century Powder Tower in Prague centre will undergo a thorough reconstruction of its coating to remove its later black finish, which is to start in three years and cost up to 30 million crowns, according to a document for the Prague Assembly’s culture committee.
The exploration of the Gothic tower, which enjoys the status of national cultural heritage, for more than two million crowns is to be completed this year. It will focus on its facade and floors.
The general restoration of the coating is to return the tower its original appearance, such as the brown colour of the facade, from the period of the Neo-Gothic adjustments by architect Josef Mocker in the 1880s.
The current black colour dates back to the 1960s or 1970s when it was to cover different colours of the stones from various periods, the document to be discussed by the Prague Assembly’s culture committee says.
Mocker had a new roof made and he removed the clock from the tower. He is also the author of the vault in the passage and most of the sculptural decorations of the Powder Tower or Powder Gate, separating the Old Town from the New Town of Prague.
The gate was used to store gunpowder in the 17th century and hence its name.
The facade of the tower is in a disastrous state due to climate influence as well as the poor-quality repair works in the 1960s and 1970s, the document writes.
The research is mainly to divide the original Gothic stones from their later replacements in the 1880s. A laser scanning of the facade is to be carried out in the first half of this year.
The Museum of the City of Prague, which operated the sight, plans to repair the floor on first storey of the tower where a display on the Prague fortifications development is to be installed.
In 2018, a project of the general repair of the Powder Tower’s coating will be worked out and a tender for it will be put up. The reconstruction is scheduled for 2019-2020.
The Power Tower is now opened to visitors every day. During the general reconstruction, the tower would have to be at least partially closed for some time, the document adds.
