Vítkov Hill in Prague has been given a facelift: after months of construction work, the city has completed the redesign of the area surrounding the National Monument. The result is a modern recreational space featuring a promenade, water fountains and a new bistro.
Where a dreary asphalt car park once dominated, visitors can now enjoy a spacious promenade with water features, a piazzetta-style area with benches and newly planted trees, as well as a newly built bistro and public toilets. The latter are due to open in September – the city is currently seeking an operator.
‘The upper part of Vítkov is now fully accessible again for the first time in a long while,’ says Jana Komrsková, Prague’s Deputy Mayor for the Environment and Climate Policy. ‘Only a few areas are still fenced off, and fresh turf is currently being laid there.’ Today, the entire site is not only significantly greener but also more technically advanced. Rainwater is channelled into special infiltration systems, and the water features operate via a closed circulation system.
The centrepiece of the redesigned area is the broad concrete promenade with 201 ground jets – 101 of which emit a fine cooling mist, while the remaining 100 provide classic water effects. These are complemented by an impressive geyser, capable of spraying up to seven metres into the air – complete with optional lighting effects in the evening.
The renovation, which began in August 2023, cost around 111 million crowns. This sum also covered new infrastructure, lighting and seating, and is partly funded by EU resources (IROP). The historic fountain behind the monument was also restored as part of the project and now forms part of the new water concept.
‘The Vítkov Plateau is gradually becoming the park that Prague residents want – and that this historic location deserves,’ Komrsková concluded. ‘I’d like to thank my colleagues at the Environmental Department and the contractor for their excellent work.’
The southern section of the park was already renovated last year. At the beginning of 2025, the stairs in the north were refurbished – an important step towards creating a direct link between Vítkov Hill and the Karlín district. Plans are also in place for a new pedestrian bridge, to be constructed as part of a development on Pernerova Street – offering residents of Prague 8 an attractive, green route into the city centre.
