Prague Smíchov Lock (#0824)

Smíchov Lock on the Vltava in the center of Prague. Now this is the sort of site that works for me – an illustration of the architecture of public infrastructure from a time in the past when functional could be combined with aesthetically pleasing.

The Smíchov Lock was built in 1911-1922 (I’m assuming completed in 1922) and is now the busiest lock in Prague (out of four), mainly used by tourist boats. Unfortunately I could find no history of the uses of the locks, but searching on the use of the river itself it appears that the Vltava was not used for industrial shipping.

Source: www.viewprague.cz/en/canal-lock-in-smichov

(Part of a documentation of 2018 exploration/reflection on Brexit and populist movements in Europe, keyword Europe2018)