I have already expressed my enthusiasm towards Plečnik´s designs in Ljubljana in my previous review. Now, one week before the ultimate verdict of the UNESCO committee (July 2021), I would like to comment the omitting of The Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord in Prague from the original nomination and compare it to the Church of St. Francis in Ljubljana, which has been added to the nomination quite recently. (PHOTO - LEFT: Ljubljana church exterior from East and interior towards East, RIGHT: Prague church exterior from East and interior towards East)

I live nearby the Plečnik´s church in Prague, and I am glad of it. The church is extremely monumental located in the middle of the square in rich/posh neighborhood Vinohrady (it means vineyards in English). Its visual impact to the square and the adjacent streets is iconic. The exterior is unusual with the contrast between brown bricks and grey elements. The focal point of the church is its huge, rather flat tower with a giant round window with clocks. The interior is simple and vast. IMO it is the best example of sacral architecture of the first half of 20thC in Czechia.

The church in rather poor and unassuming suburb of Ljubljana called Šiška, built for Friar Minors, is the modest variant of the church in Prague. They share several elements such as one monumental tower in the eastern part, central rectangular interior, using of pyramids around the tower, etc. But the different budget in Prague and Ljubljana is clearly evident. The appearance St. Francis church is not such radical as compared to its counterpart in Prague, and rather cheap materials have been used in the interior (such as asphalt floor in some parts of the church).

One could ironically comment it that the Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord in Prague would be the best component of the Ljubljana sites... But it is deep misunderstanding. The OUV of Ljubljana TWHS is NOT expressed by architectonic value of the particular components (note the ICOMOS recommendation to inscribe the site under criterion iv and not i). The WHS should not be just a catalogue of the Plečnik´s work. I am trying to be consistent, and if I strongly disagree with proposal of the porticoes in Bologna as being a dull catalogue of porticoes, it is not possible to use this "catalogue" approach for the work of Plečnik.

I cannot decide, which church is "better", they only had a tinier budget in Ljubljana - that is the point. I like the monument in Prague more, but liking does not justify the inscription to the WHS list.

What I know there have been announced two reason for omitting the Prague church from this nomination: (i) rather vague statement that it would decrease chances for the inscription, which I can read in the way expressed already above - it should not be just a catalogue; (ii) the parish of the Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord disagreed with the inclusion to this TWHS. They argued that the church is the sacral space and it should not turn into cheap tourist attraction.

All in all, it has been smart decision to keep only the components in Ljubljana, it makes sense to me. Further, I cannot imagine that the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord in Prague will be inscribed as the separate monument. It has no OUV by itself, and it is of national/Central European importance (believe or not but Czechia is not Eastern Europe...).