First New Benches Installed on Prague’s Vltava Riverbank

Prague’s Vltava riverbank is being upgraded with new seating made from locally sourced oak. A total of 27 differently designed seating areas are due to be installed by mid-October.

The Vltava riverbank at Rašínovo nábřeží is gradually receiving new seating made from solid oak. The first benches can already be used between the railway bridge and Vyšehrad. The entire installation is due to be completed by 15 October at the latest.

As part of the long-term transformation of Prague’s riverbanks, a total of 27 differently designed seating areas are being created at Rašínovo nábřeží. These include two larger so-called relaxation nests, which are intended to provide space not only for conventional seating but also for picnics and small groups.

Photo: Pražské náplavky | Facebook

Depending on their location, the individual installations consist of between one and three solid wooden elements. Eight elements will be joined together for each of the two larger nests. A total of 69 oak seating elements are to be installed along the riverbank.

Plans for the new furniture date back to 2014. At the time, the city commissioned a feasibility study based on a concept by the Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR). Three years later, the benches were included in the concept for the revitalisation of the Rašín riverbank approved by Prague City Council.

Photo: Pražské náplavky | Facebook

For the benches now being delivered, oak from the area around the Orlice River in East Bohemia was selected. According to the architectural firm Projektil architekti, which is involved in the project, the main deciding factors were its regional origin and price.

The seating surfaces were specially developed for the conditions along Prague’s riverbanks. As the Náplavka is located in an active flood zone, the wooden elements are mounted on steel frames and anchored in concrete foundations. The existing stone paving also has to be partially removed for the work and subsequently restored.

Photo: Pražské náplavky | Facebook

The installation is one of the final major measures in the revitalisation of the Rašín riverbank, which has been under way since 2017. In recent years, the vaulted spaces in the riverbank wall have been converted and new technical utility lines have been installed, among other improvements.