Brno - For the first time ever a list of the most endangered landmarks of architectural and cultural significance in the Czech Republic has been compiled. The National Heritage Office named six hundreds buildings, castles or statues as those facing immediate threat of disintegration.
The list is not complete yet. Later this month some other buildings are going to be added to it, for example dilapidated timber chambers and haylofts in White Carpathians.
However, since the conservationists didn't consult the inclusion of monuments on the list with their owners, their names cannot be found there.
Prague has 44 'time-bombs'
The list's aim is not to criticize the owners, who aren't necessarily responsible for the sorry state of the landmarks after all, explain the conservationists.
The worst situation seems to be in Ústí nad Labem Region in the North Bohemia, whose 108 endangered landmarks constitute more than one sixth of the total number. A part of a popular Jizeří castle, whose outlying buildings from 18th century are in extremely bad conditions, is included.
"Roofs are damaged, water leaks into the interiors, ceilings are sunken, and the whole structure is in danger of collapsing," informed the office.
Central Bohemian Region, Karlovy Vary Region, and Moravian-Silesian Region have ill record, too.
Even the capital, by far the most attractive tourist destination of the Czech Republic, has 44 endangered monuments, including the Nunnery of St. Ursula in Hradčany not far from the Prague Castle.
"The building is in a very bad condition, with the facade falling off. Currently, soldiers are in residence there," informed the conservationists. They added that a general reconstruction is being prepared.
Strapped for cash
The smallest number of endangered landmarks is in the South Moravia and in the Zlín Region. For example the castle in Ivanovice na Hané, 40 kilometres east of Brno, badly needs renovation and is currently for sale.
Both conservationists and owners believe that telling the public which monuments are decaying could help save them - or, more specifically, it could help get a grant from an emergency repair fund of the Ministry of Culture. Or from a private investor.
This could be the case of Smiřice castle outbuildings in the region of Hradec Králové. They have been abandoned for a long time and they are severely damaged.
"In the first place, this doesn't really shed good light on us, the owners. But on the other hand, placing a monument on the list can help us get money for saving the landmarks," said Luboš Tuzar, Mayor of Smiřice, to Aktuálně.cz.
He said that this year, the city will have to spend three million Czech crowns (155 thousand euro) solely for reconstruction works on the castle chapel.
