Architectural competition for the restoration of the castle in Bečov nad Teplou

Prague - The National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) announces an architectural competition for the restoration of the upper castle in Bečov nad Teplou in the Karlovy Vary Region. The winning project should preserve the authenticity of the medieval residence as much as possible. At the same time, it must also address the challenging conditions of the exteriors, such as possible bridging between the castle and the chateau or access routes. The Ministry of Culture has allocated 90 million crowns for the overall restoration of the state monument, which should be completed by 2015.
     "Currently, only the lower chateau is accessible, which constitutes one-third of the area. The architectural competition should bring a contractor for the future project documentation, based on which the remaining two-thirds of the area, consisting of the medieval castle and the Renaissance palace, will be restored," said Bečov custodian Tomáš Wizovský to ČTK today.
     Architects and designers should primarily focus on the authenticity of the medieval castle environment. "The method of presenting the reliquary of Saint Maurus must also be resolved, as it is already facing operational limitations in the building of the lower chateau where it is currently located," Wizovský stated. The reliquary - a Romanesque goldsmith's artifact from the early 13th century, which experts place second in significance only to Czech coronation jewels, attracts the most visitors.
     "The reliquary is currently in temporary facilities. We need to create a more dignified environment with greater accessibility, so that visitor interest can be satisfied," the custodian added. He would consider a museum or gallery-style installation of the reliquary ideal, so that people would not have to visit it with a guide, as is currently the case.
     The competition will be officially announced on July 1. "The precise conditions of the competition will be announced on this date," NPÚ director Naďa Goryczková told journalists today. The deadline for submitting proposals will be by September 10. An expert jury, led by the rector of the Academy of Fine Arts Jiří T. Kotalík, will select the winning project by the end of September. "The restoration of the state castle should then begin next year at the turn of spring and summer," Goryczková specified. NPÚ has chosen the competition format for the reconstruction of the state property for the first time. "We want the restoration of the castle to be in line with our vision. We can clearly define our expectations through the competition conditions and see directly from the proposal if our requirements are met. This would not be achievable through standard selection procedures or regular public competitions," Goryczková stated.
     The chateau and castle complex in Bečov nad Teplou attracts up to 60,000 visitors annually. It forms a unique architectural ensemble with its preserved medieval castle of the Lords of Osek from the early 14th century, the Renaissance palace of the Pluhovský family, and the Baroque chateau of the Questenberks from the 18th century.