Goats guests of honor at Prague rooftop reception

[October 21, 2016]    PRAGUE (Reuters) - Two goats wander across the roof of Prague's famous Lucerna Palace - the first beneficiaries of a new push to open up public spaces high above the packed streets of a crowded city.

A culture activist Ondrej Kobza sits on a chair next to two goats on the terrace of a rooftop community garden and cafe atop the Lucerna Palace in Prague, Czech Republic, October 20, 2016. REUTERS/David W Cerny

The animals were guests of honor at the opening of a terrace on the city-centre landmark, whose lower floors hold the Czech Republic's oldest cinema, a theater, a music venue, restaurants and an ornate shopping arcade.

"I brought the goats ... to have an atmosphere of the farm here, to communicate the idea that roofs should get green," said the project's manager, activist Ondrej Kobza.

"Our goal is to have a community garden here, so that people could raise tomatoes, for example," added Kobza, who has rented a 1,000-square meter space on top of the building completed in 1921 by the grandfather of late President Vaclav Havel.

(Reporting by Jiri Skacel; Writing by Robert Muller; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

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