125 Years of Prague’s Railway Bridge at Výtoň: Nebourat Calls for Swift Restoration
To mark the 125th anniversary of the historic railway bridge, the civic initiative is calling for restoration work to begin as soon as possible
Photo: Jakub Šedý | Nebourat z.s.
Around 200 people gathered in Prague on Sunday to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the historic railway bridge at Vyšehrad. The civic initiative Nebourat used the occasion to call on Prime Minister Andrej Babiš to begin restoration work without delay.
The historic railway bridge below Vyšehrad has been part of Prague’s cityscape for 125 years. To mark the anniversary, the civic initiative Nebourat organised a public event directly beneath the bridge on Sunday, 18 October. The main focus was the demand to preserve the listed structure and begin its restoration as soon as possible.
According to the organisers, around 200 people attended the event. The initiative thanked members of the public and experts who have campaigned for years to preserve the structure. At the same time, participants appealed to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš to take the necessary steps towards a comprehensive restoration.
Specifically, the initiative is calling on the state railway administration, Správa železnic, to work with the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) to prepare a public tender for the restoration work. This should be based on the Czech Ministry of Transport’s decision from 2025 and the recommendations of an international expert commission of the Heritage Institute from spring 2026.
Photo: Jakub Šedý | Nebourat z.s.
Experts Consider Restoration Feasible
“The Vyšehrad Bridge is not only an important transport link, but also an indispensable symbol of Prague’s cityscape and a testament to the engineering skills of our ancestors,” said Ina Koldová from the Nebourat initiative.
The fact that expert assessments and studies still consider restoration technically feasible, even after 125 years and decades of neglected maintenance, demonstrates the particular value of the structure. According to the initiative, the bridge could remain in use for another century following appropriate restoration work.
Initiative to Continue Campaigning for Preservation
For Pavel Štorch, founder of the Nebourat initiative, the anniversary is primarily about the future of the bridge. “Celebrating 125 years of the bridge does not mean looking back at the past, but rather looking towards the future,” Štorch explained. The Czech Republic must demonstrate that historic structures can be preserved using modern technologies and responsible management of financial resources. He cited countries such as Switzerland and France as examples, where the restoration of historic structures using modern technical methods is common practice.
Given the general financial situation and the condition of transport infrastructure, no more time should be lost. The initiative considers restoration using modern technologies to be the more economically sensible solution. At the same time, preserving the historic bridge could strengthen the Czech Republic’s international reputation.
Photo: Jakub Šedý | Nebourat z.s.
Nebourat was founded in 2018 in response to plans at the time to demolish the listed railway bridge. The initiative brings together experts from architecture, engineering and heritage conservation. According to the initiative, its members represent around 26,000 signatories of a petition calling for the preservation of the structure.
The initiative announced that it would continue its campaign until the historic railway bridge has been fully restored.
