Hlavní nádraží Other

Welcome to the heart of Prague transport. Right now, you're standing in a place that connects thousands of human destinies, paths and stories every day. Put on your headphones comfortably, let the surrounding rush flow around you for a while and listen to the story about the station, which is much more than just a stop on the way home or to work. You are in the area of the metro station Hlavní nádraží, in a place that is firmly connected with the history of modern Prague and its transformation into a European metropolis.

Look around you. What you see is the result of bold plans and extensive construction works that have changed the face of this part of town forever. You are standing under the building of our largest railway junction. Above you is a structure that receives hundreds of trains every day, but you are now in its underground kingdom. Feel the strange atmosphere of a place where the world of above-ground tracks meets the world of deep tunnels.

Let's go back in time together now. To understand why this station looks what it looks like, we have to move to the early 1970s. The history of this place began to be written much before the first train of the underground railway came here. By the year one thousand nine hundred seventy two, the rough construction of this station was almost finished. It was a time of great expectations and technical challenges. Back then, Prague was preparing for a revolution in transport, which was intended to relieve congested streets on the surface.

This station holds one important primacy. It was the first station in the whole of Prague to start building. Its creation was a key moment for the entire route marked "C." The solemn moment came on the ninth May of the year a thousand nine hundred seventy-four. That's when the gates of this underground space opened up for the first time to the public, and people could use the first section of the line that connected the city in a new, fast way. Since then, this station has served without interruption and has become an integral part of the life of every Prague and visitor to our capital city.

I will now ask you to pay attention to the architecture and layout of the space you are in. If you have ever travelled through other routes of Prague Metro, you will notice something very unusual. Most Prague stations have one wide platform in the middle, to which trains come from both sides. But it's different here. Look at the tracks. They lead directly through the centre of the station and divide it into two separate parts. You are now standing on one of the side platforms.

This unusual appearance is not random. It has a deep historical reason that goes back to the original intentions of engineers. At a time when construction was being decided, it was not at all expected that there would be a classic, heavy metro as we know it today. The original plans envisaged the so-called subsurface tram. This side arrangement was ideal and practical for tram cars. Although plans have changed during the preparation process and Prague has finally decided on a fully-fledged underground track system, the construction solution of this station was already so advanced that it remained faithful to the original tram concept. It is a fascinating reminder of how visions of the future of the city evolved and changed directly under the hands of builders.

Notice also the depth in which we are located. We're not deep in the bowels of the earth. This station is so-called deep and its bottom lies just nine meters below the surface. This is compared to other, much deeper stations in the city centre, relatively small distance. This small depth allows quick and comfortable access to trains on the surface, making this place one of the most important transfer nodes in the country.

If you look at the walls and the overall design, you might wonder who's behind this work. Interestingly, the names of the particular architects who printed this station's face remain hidden in historical records. Although we don't know the names of individuals, their work speaks for itself. They were able to create a space that is functional, transparent and capable of embracing huge crowds of people that pass through here every day. It is a collective work of then engineers and workers who, in difficult conditions, built the foundations of modern transport.

Now let's think about the stories that this place remembers. Imagine the hustle and bustle in May of seventy-four, when the first sound of incoming sets sounded. It was a miracle of technology for the people back then. The station was a symbol of progress and a new era. Every stone and every panel here tells of the effort to link the historic city with the modern needs of its inhabitants. Even if we don't find statues of famous kings or commemorative plates of warlords, the heroes of this place are all the nameless people who designed and built the station.

One of the biggest attractions you can take away is the fact that you're standing in a place that was originally meant to be a tram stop. Imagine what it would look like if the plans hadn't changed. Instead of heavy subway cars, you would hear the jingling of trams coming from underground to Prague streets. This station is therefore a kind of monument to the unfulfilled dream of a subsurface tram, but it eventually gave way to a much more generous solution.

Try to close your eyes for a moment and feel the vibrations that spread through space. Do you feel that gentle lust every time a heavy train passes over you at the Central Station? It's a constant dialogue between the world up and the world down. This station is a bridge that connects these two worlds. It's a place of meetings, goodbyes, expectations and haste.

Our short stop at the history and architecture of the metro station Hlavní nádraží is slowly coming to an end. I hope the next time you go through this space, it won't just be a corridor and a platform for you. Remember the year nineteen hundred seventy-four, the courage of the then builders and the unique side platforms that remind us of the old plans for the tram track.

Now you can continue your journey. Perhaps you will take the stairs up to the historic building of the railway station, or you will board one of the trains and be taken to another part of our beautiful Prague. Wherever your steps lead, we wish you a good journey and many other interesting discoveries in the streets and underground of our capital city. Thank you for stopping by and listening to the story of this special place. See you next time you get to know Prague's sights.