Brno is looking for a contractor for the repair of the Měnínská Gate for approximately 31 million crowns

Brno - Brno is seeking a company that will repair the Měnínská Brána in Orlí Street for approximately 31 million crowns. The work will last about two years. Thanks to this, a new exhibition will be created in the currently unused spaces. Radka Loukotová from the press department of the Brno magistrate said this to ČTK today. The heritage-protected building, which has a history dating back to the 13th century, is the last remaining gate of the former city fortifications. It has been closed since 2020 due to its poor technical condition.

The historical building struggles with high humidity, for example. "The reconstruction is necessary for the building to meet current fire safety regulations, requirements for ensuring barrier-free access, and to continue to serve as an exhibition and museum space. We will know the cost of the repairs based on the selection of the contractor that we have just initiated. We expect it to be around 31 million crowns," said Loukotová.

The current appearance of the Měnínská Brána dates back to around 1500. It is the only surviving gate out of the five that once provided entry to the city. Its significance began to decline after the Thirty Years' War, and it ceased to serve as a passageway in the mid-19th century. In the late 1970s, it came into the ownership of the city, which had it repaired according to a project by architect Kamil Fuchs, son of Bohuslav Fuchs. It was then entrusted to the Museum of the City of Brno, which began to use it as an exhibition space. Long-term exhibitions as well as temporary exhibitions have taken place there. In 2020, the permanent exhibition of toys ended after ten years.

In the future, a permanent multimedia exhibition documenting the development of the city's fortifications is planned, which will be linked with 3D virtual reality and possibly also with a computer game with period themes. Temporary exhibitions, such as those of historical weapons or construction and military techniques, will follow the permanent exhibition.