New Cubist-inspired bridge to connect Vltava embankments in Prague

Prague councillors have approved the construction of a new bridge across the Vltava River connecting the districts of Prague 4 and 5. The city will now launch a tender for its construction amounting to CZK 972 million.

The bridge, to be named Dvorecký, will serve trams, buses, cyclists and pedestrians. It is intended to improve the transport connection between the Zlíchov and Podolí embankments. Some opposition councillors have criticised the fact that cars will not be allowed on the bridge.

Deputy Mayor Adam Scheinherr said this week that construction of the bridge could start at the beginning of next year and should be finished three years later. The winning design, inspired by Cubist architecture, was submitted by the Tubes and Atelier 6 studios.

The minimalist structure from reinforced concrete is set to connect Dvorce on the east bank of the river in Prague 4 and Lihovar, which is south of the Smíchov train station on the west bank. It is supposed to fill the gap between the existing bridges and ease traffic on the Barrandov Bridge.

The space below the bridge should serve for leisure time activities and a café. A new boating base should also be built as part of the project.

The last bridge over the Vltava River was opened in Prague’s Trója in October 2014. It replaced the 1981 Troja Tram Bridge, nicknamed the "Rambler", which closed on 7 October 2013.

Last year, Prague City Hall opened a new footbridge over the Vltava in Troja to replace the one that collapsed in 2017.

The municipality has recently also announced a tender for the construction of another footbridge at Štvanice Island connecting Prague’s Holešovice and Karlín districts.
The footbridge will replace the ferry, which now connects the Prague Holešovice Market and the Rohanský embankment.

Many of the existing bridges over the Vltava River are in poor condition and the city is gradually repairing them, currently for example, the Barrandov Bridge.