UNESCO World Heritage Centre calls for Výton rail bridge to be preserved

The UNESCO World Heritage Centre has asked the Czech authorities not to go ahead with plans to dismantle the historic railway bridge spanning the Vltava River at Výton and replace it with a new one. In a letter to the Czech Culture Ministry the Centre argues that the historic bridge is an important part of Prague's skyline and Prague's river panorama, which is one of the main reasons why Prague was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Moreover, the design of the new bridge has none of the elegance and sophistication of the historic one, UNESCO says. Critics of the plans to replace the bridge have welcomed the intervention. Over 15,500 people have signed a petition against dismantling the old rail bridge.