Prague bans the use of tarpaulin advertisements

It seeks to uncover the beauty of the historic buildings that otherwise remain hidden

As of 1 October, tarpaulin advertisements no longer hide the beauty of Prague’s old and historic buildings. Since 2006, the Czech capital has prohibited the use of such advertising in the city’s historic centre; last year, it sought to extend this restriction and ban tarpaulin advertisements in several surrounding districts.

In December, the city management approved the extension of the decree, giving businesses nine months to adapt to the new rules. Now, the overall image of the Czech capital has changed as the decree has officially come into force.

Three zones with different rules

The City of Prague announced that the new regulation outlines three distinct zones. The first zone covers the territory of the Prague Monument Reserve and features the strictest rules, with the previous bans remaining in place.

In the second zone, businesses will be prohibited from installing tarpaulin advertisements, using public transport for marketing purposes, and distributing leaflets or posters. The third zone will feature all the aforementioned limitations except the distribution of materials.

To ensure that the regulations are easy to understand and follow, the City of Prague has created a website that splits the city into 3 zones. The Prague Geoportal website shows businesses where regulations apply to help them make marketing decisions. If they do not comply with the new rules, they may receive a fine of up to CZK 2 million (EUR 79,000).

Preserving the city’s beauty

Councillor for Culture Hana Třeštíková noted that businesses in Czechia do not take public interest into account when installing advertisements. Expanding on this, Třeštíková noted that Prague must follow the examples of other European cities, where the urban space is clean and beautiful.

Thus, she stressed that the City of Prague does not seek to ban advertising but rather to preserve the city’s beauty.