image
1

The redevelopment plan for Domplatz, Source: ZOOM VP.AT / Jabornegg-Palffy, City of St Pölten

St Pölten in Austria is removing cars from city centre, opening it up to pedestrians

St Pölten in Austria is removing cars from city centre, opening it up to pedestrians

A redevelopment project ten years in the making is finally about to begin

Yesterday, local authorities in St. Pölten, Austria, announced the start of a redevelopment project for one of the main squares in the city, in front of the iconic baroque St. Pöltner Cathedral. The project will start as early as March and will transform Domplatz from a parking lot to a vibrant urban square with cafes and sprinkler systems to manage heat in the summer.

Ten years in the making

Planning for the project began ten years ago, however, construction was slowed down by the mandatory archaeological excavations on the site, which uncovered the ruins of old structures. According to some sources, St. Pölten has been continuously inhabited since the first century AD and is one of the oldest cities in Austria.

st Pölten cathedral square

Domplatz in St Pölten, 2013,
Source: Ralf Roletschek on Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0

After the excavations were complete, the redevelopment project is set to start in March and according to government sources, it should be done in a year. Construction on the Domplatz should cost about 3.7 million euros and authorities have said that it will be finalised in sages.

This is because there is a market on the square and they are trying to prevent its closure during the works.

Au revoir, car

One of the biggest changes to the square will be the removal of parking spaces, which will turn it into a pedestrian zone. At the same time, the new square will have greenery, cafes, and according to a statement by the authorities – spaces for cultural exhibitions.

Furthermore, Domplatz will also be accessible to people with disabilities and will have no less than 400 nozzles, ready to spray cool mist on hot days.

Newsletter

Back

Growing City

All

Smart City

All

Green City

All

Social City

All

New European Bauhaus

All

Interviews

All

ECP 2021 Winner TheMayorEU

Latest