Kafka's head statue will be repaired for several months

A moving statue of the head of the writer Franz Kafka in a recess near Spálená Street in Prague is being repaired. The sculpture by David Černý will be dismantled at the end of September and the repairs will take several months, announced Jakub Velen, spokesman for CPI Property Group. During the repairs, a new turning system for the statue will also be installed.

A scaffolding with a tarp will be erected around Kafka's head on Monday 25 September. The individual floors will be dismantled using a crane from above. The statue could be back in place by the end of the year. Originally, it rotated continuously all day, but due to the rapid wear and tear of the individual components, the company that owns it says that operations have had to be reduced several times in the past.

The moving bust of Franz Kafka, which is a popular tourist destination, is 10.6 metres tall and weighs 39 tonnes. It has been located in front of the Quadrio shopping centre since 2014. The current construction uses a solution known from industrial automation and robotics - 42 motors and almost a kilometre of cables are inside the statue. The stainless steel panels rotate independently, so that the face takes on different grimaces. Due to its technological complexity, the work requires regular servicing. It undergoes extensive maintenance every year.