Ring Road is a highway being constructed on the outskirts of Prague to alleviate traffic in the central parts of the city. The construction for this road began in the late 1960s and is said to be completed by Christmas 2027. The final road will be 83 kilometers long, connecting 10 highways and helping to modernize the transportation in and around Prague. It is intended to lessen traffic congestion and move goods and people more efficiently, promoting a lively economy in Prague.
The innovations of this road start with specialized lanes for different vehicles, safety measures, and traffic management systems to improve the flow. The construction of this new road emphasizes the importance of the environment through careful construction for local wildlife habitats through wildlife crossings, noise barriers, and soundproof coatings. The road is supposed to spur Prague’s economy through the creation of construction jobs, the increase of tourism, and raising exchange through supply chains. Prague’s new Ring Road has been a long time coming in this city’s dreams; it will help to modernize and spur activity in this city. It will positively affect both its local citizens and tourists coming to learn.
Current construction status of Ring Road in Prague
As the construction on the road progressed, discoveries were made beginning in May 2024. Archaeologists from the Archaeological Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague began excavating around 311 acres of land; this began one of the largest archaeological investigations ever conducted in the Czech Republic. The first round of discoveries in 2024 found many things dating from the Hallstatt to the Neolithic period. They uncovered 8 long columnar structures, common storage pits, stone axes, axe hammers, and corkscrews dating to the end of the Neolithic and beginning of the Eneolithic period.
The discoveries from late Hallstatt and early La Tène occupation consisted of 10 subterranean houses, settlement pits, troughs, coarse and fine kitchen ceramics, whorls, iron and bronze tools, clay and glass beads, a handle of a Kylix, bronze horse ornaments, and circular pits. The handle of the Kylix and the bronze horse ornaments gave evidence for a hierarchy in the community because of the origin of the handle from the Mediterranean and the extravagance of the horse.
Items found along Ring Road
The circular pits were 2-5 meters wide and went about 4 meters deep. These pits were related to gold mining in the Pitkovický stream, which was 15 kilometers away and historically the most important Czech gold mine in the 13th and 14th centuries. The discoveries in 2024 were just a large start to the precious finds along the Ring Road, with these excavations finding more than 9000 archeological objects. They have given us a new context for the ancestors of this area and continue to allow us to understand how the communities worked at the time.
Excavations happening along the Ring Road
The excavations have continued until now, with discoveries coming in 2025, allowing us to further work to understand this part of history. They have found proof of settlements and a cemetery along the Říčany stream dating back to both the Roman era and the late Neolithic period. This cemetery has allowed for further chemical research to be conducted, letting us learn about these ancient people’s mobility, diet, agriculture, use of environment, and shifts in climate. They have found gold ornaments, spiral hair accessories, decorative clothing fasteners, and ceramic vessels buried with food for the dead.
Items found along Ring Road
These objects found help us to see how these people lived and what they valued in their culture, especially how they treated their dead. Roman coins, amber from the Baltic Sea, and glass beads from the Syro-Palestinian region were also discovered. These objectives allow us to further understand the network between these communities and the ancient lands around them through trade routes and powerful connections. As construction progresses along Ring Road, hopefully, more ancient objects can be found to help us better understand our ancestors.
Written by Sealy Teheng
Sources:
ARUP. “Tisková Zpráva | Pokračování Záchranného Archeologického Výzkumu Na Obchvatu Prahy - ARUP.” ARUP, 16 Dec. 2024, www.arup.cas.cz/tiskova-zprava-pokracovani-zachranneho-archeologickeho-vyzkumu-na-obchvatu-prahy/. Accessed 18 June 2025.
“Discoveries from Prague Ring Road Rescue Excavation Unveiled.” Radio Prague International, 16 June 2025, english.radio.cz/discoveries-prague-ring-road-rescue-excavation-unveiled-8854123. Accessed 18 June 2025.
Vankova, Kristina. “Construction Commences on Prague Ring Road Linking D1 and D11 - Czechjournal.cz.” Czechjournal.cz, 17 Dec. 2024, www.czechjournal.cz/construction-commences-on-prague-ring-road-linking-d1-and-d11/. Accessed 18 June 2025.