Ice Factory in Branik - Prague, Czech Republic
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Torgut
N 50° 01.973 E 014° 24.409
33U E 457517 N 5542455
The Branik ice factory - Branické ledárny - is a historical building in Branik area, close to the Vltava river, in south Prague.
Waymark Code: WM18XFK
Location: Hlavní město Praha, Czechia
Date Posted: 10/17/2023
Views: 1
ranické Ledárny is a late Art Nouveau former industrial complex in Ledarská Street.
The construction of the ice factory was inspired on the constant demand of the growing Prague pubs. The other existent factory, located in the island of Stavanice was not producing enough ice for the market. Pubs needed ice to cool beer, but the product also has some demand from hospitals, restaurants and food processing plants.
This complex included stables for horses, a villa and the manager's home.
The architect Josef Kovarovic designed the project and its construction was carried out by the company Nekvasil, based in Karlin - Prague, between 1909 and 1911.
The main building, the so-called refrigerator, was one of the first buildings using a reinforced concrete frame. The structure was further surrounded by an insulating wall with cork insulation and another air gap. It also featured an ingenious ventilation and water drainage system.
Adjacent to the icehouses is the bay where the ice was cut. The location was also suitable because it was one of the coldest places in the Vltava valley.
The production ended in 1954.
Since 1964 , Branické Ledárny has been a protected building monument as it is technically and architecturally important and an important object of the Czech industrial heritage.
In the 80's a project to transform the complex in a museum was made but, obviously, never became a reality. After the Velvet Revolution of 1989, the site changed ownership several times. In the mid-1990s, the area was thought about as a possible site for a brothel . As part of the solution to the fight against prostitution and night clubs, the municipality tasked all city districts to select a location on their territory where this activity would be tolerated. [1] Nobody lives in the vicinity of the ice house and the main building has no windows, so it was an ideal candidate for such a location.
By late 90's the City of Prague also tried to buy it, but was beaten by a foreign investor.
In 2010, a proposal was submitted to the National Monument Institute for conversion into apartments and a hotel. It was also not implemented.
Fun fact: In the years 1933–1959, the tram line from Braník was terminated in the "Ledárny" loop .
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