Brno will sue the ministry for revoking the heritage status of the polyclinic

Brno - Brno will file a lawsuit against the Ministry of Culture in the coming days, which rescinded the cultural heritage status of one of the polyclinic buildings on Zahradníkova Street in March. This was stated to reporters today by Deputy Mayor Matěj Hollan (Žít Brno). According to him, the city wants to achieve the previous status and prevent other monuments from losing their status. Due to the delayed inscription on the list of cultural monuments, up to 1400 similar objects, including the Janáček Theatre or the House of Art, could lose their heritage status, he said.

The polyclinic has three buildings. One is on Veveří Street and does not have cultural protection, while the other two are on Zahradníkova Street, with one retaining protection and the other, which dates back to the 1920s and stands at the corner with Nerudova Street, having its protection revoked by the ministry, Hollan stated.

According to Brno, the polyclinic belongs to significant buildings of interwar monumental civil architecture. Its design reflects Classicist Egyptian elements as well as hints of Cubism. The entrance to the building from Kounicova Street is adorned with the sculpture group Health by sculptor Václav Mach.

Since the late 1980s, only the Ministry of Culture can declare a cultural monument; before that, according to Hollan, it was done by the heritage office. "Some monuments were listed, while others were not. Therefore, when a new law was to come into effect in 1988, it was necessary to register all monuments that were not on the list. There were many in Brno, but even though the relevant city authority approved them in December 1987, they only made it onto the list the following year," explained Hollan.

Therefore, the ministry does not have to recognize their monument status. Brno then requested a decision from the ministry on whether the affected polyclinic building is a cultural monument or not. The ministry concluded that it is not. This position was confirmed even after Brno filed an appeal against it. Consequently, the city will defend itself with a lawsuit.

"Overall, the same procedure threatens more than 1400 monuments, including the Janáček Theatre or the House of Art," emphasized Hollan.

The city owns only 200 of such monuments, while the rest are held by private and other entities. Hollan fears that if the buildings lose their monument status, the owners might do whatever they want with them and could even irreparably damage them. Strictly established rules must be followed for the renovation of monuments, while no such rules exist for regular buildings.

The issue was raised a few years ago by the South Moravian Region, which was preparing to renovate the Tišnov hospital. It was registered on the list too late. Therefore, the region asked the ministry about the status of the hospital to know how to proceed with the renovation.