Právní rámec pražské asanace

This work deals with the legal basis for rehabilitation of old Prague, which took place between 1893 and 1938. Requirements for the quality of housing have grown at the end of the 19th century, and many cities in Europe have laid down their old parts. Also city officials wanted Prague to be a modern and healthy city. The primary purpose of this event was to heal the most impoverished parts of the city and protect it from floods. In Bohemia, the Prague rehabilitation was a completely new phenomenon, and therefore it was necessary to prepare legal regulation for it. The first step was the adoption of laws. The most important law was Act N. 22/1893 ř. z., the Expropriation Act. This act set up the rehabilitation area and allowed the expropriation of realties in this area. The rehabilitation area included Josefov, several parts of the Old Town and part of the New Town around the church of St. Vojtěch. A property owners were obliged to adapt their property to the plan of rehabilitation. If they did not, the property could be expropriated. Most of the properties were sold to the city of Prague, which demolished the old buildings and sold the land to investors. The Act N. 23/1893 ř. z. exempted new buildings from a rental tax for 20 years. Both Acts had validity for 10 years but the validity has been repeatedly prolonged. The rebuilding of Josefov took place before the First World War. The rehabilitation stagnated after this war and the Expropriation Act was abolished in 1938. The rehabilitation was a controversial event – an unique urban complex was destroyed, on the other hand housing and health conditions of the population were improved. This rehabilitation was not the only action of this kind in Prague. At the same time the surroundings of the church of St. Petr and district of Podskalí were rehabilitated. This construction projects were carried out under other legal regulations.