Presentation of the reconstructed Mendel square and unveiling of the Hrachovina monument referring to the scientific discoveries of Gregor Johann Mendel, February 21, 2023, Brno.
Brno – Brno's Mendlovo náměstí is now decorated with a new bronze monument by Jaromír Gargulák called Hrachovina. It refers to the scientist Gregor Johann Mendel, who worked in the local Augustinian monastery in Staré Brno and is considered the founder of genetics also based on his experiments with peas. The work represents pea germination. The city cost the monument 24.5 million crowns, received a contribution from the region and other donors, and provided ten million crowns itself.
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Gargulák's design was selected by a jury in an international competition. “Our goal was to give future generations a permanent reminder of this important personality in a very original way,” said Jakub Carda, director of the public benefit company Společné. Gargulák started working on the bronze piece a year ago. Even after the reconstruction, Mendlovo náměstí is an important transport hub, but the reconstruction also succeeded in creating a public space where people can sit under a tree on a bench. 30 new trees have been planted here and the passenger shelters are to be overgrown with climbing greenery.
The new transport concept simplified some transfers between public transport lines, while complicating others. There are now nine out of ten stops. The biggest problem is the railing between the tram stop from Výstaviště and the trolleybus stop from the same direction, which stretches uninterrupted for more than 50 meters, forcing people crossing the railing to either climb over it or make a long detour. Since its installation last week, it has been the target of criticism from a number of passengers, and the creator of the architectural study, Ondřej Chybík from the Chybík + Krištof architectural office, also criticized it. The transport company, which counted on two passages in it, does not like it either. “We didn't want railings there, but we gave in to the demands of the police and the Railway Authority. We are negotiating with them to create two passages there, but we have no results yet. If we do not agree, we will look for other ways to fill the gaps in the railings. Mayor Markéta Vaňková (ODS) told journalists.
An additional transport solution required by the reconstruction will be the allocation of a bus lane in Veletržní Street. Previously, buses and trolleybuses ran from Výstaviště to Hlinky, where only residents could enter. Now they travel together with car traffic, and in rush hour it sometimes takes a while to get to the stop before the intersection.
