The house of the Čapek brothers is falling into disrepair; about three million CZK is needed for repairs
Budislav (Svitavsko) - The house of the Čapek brothers in Budislav near Svitavy is in such a dilapidated state that restoring it to its original condition would require about three million crowns. Jiří Dědeček, a poet and songwriter, and the chairman of the PEN Club which owns the building, told ČTK. The cottage was created in the late 1930s at the initiative of Karel Čapek and served as a meeting place and retreat for Czech writers. It is now closed. The club does not have the funds for building repairs.
"It was no longer possible to accommodate people seriously in the building. We would like to restore the building to the condition that Karel Čapek envisioned, and therefore we decided to seek funds wherever possible," Dědeček said.
Construction interventions in the past have been poorly executed and have rather worsened the condition of the building. Young readers from the project "Reading Helps" are now trying to contribute 100,000 crowns towards the reconstruction. In the past, the club has already received smaller amounts from various grants and is collaborating with the London headquarters of the International PEN Club to raise funds, Dědeček added.
"European grants or Norwegian funds regrettably are not an option. They pay retroactively. We need the money earlier so we can pay the construction company," Dědeček said.
In the past, Budislav was visited and created in by figures such as Anna Marie Tilschová, František Langer, and Fráňa Šrámek, as well as Ivan Klíma, František Nepil, and Václav Čtvrtek. The monument-protected cottage stands on the eastern edge of the village and has been uninhabitable and closed since June of last year.
"The last investments were made in the 1970s. Last year, a water pipe burst and flooded the rooms. Everything needs to be repaired, from the roof to the foundations. Currently, the building has at least been drained and the terraces have been repaired," said the building manager Štěpán Heger to ČTK. According to him, people from all over the Czech Republic, interested in literature and aware of its connection to Karel Čapek and other writers, used to visit the cottage even without advertising.
The cottage is wooden and has two floors and four protruding loggias, sitting on a stone base. The building was constructed from the proceeds of the 16th Congress of PEN Clubs held in Prague in 1938.
Writer Karel Čapek also financially contributed to it. The cottage was designed by Stanislav Tobek, who was a student of architect Josef Gočár. Tobek designed several school buildings, Sokol halls, and gyms. For a long time, it was believed that the building was designed by the artist and writer Josef Čapek.
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"It was no longer possible to accommodate people seriously in the building. We would like to restore the building to the condition that Karel Čapek envisioned, and therefore we decided to seek funds wherever possible," Dědeček said.
Construction interventions in the past have been poorly executed and have rather worsened the condition of the building. Young readers from the project "Reading Helps" are now trying to contribute 100,000 crowns towards the reconstruction. In the past, the club has already received smaller amounts from various grants and is collaborating with the London headquarters of the International PEN Club to raise funds, Dědeček added.
"European grants or Norwegian funds regrettably are not an option. They pay retroactively. We need the money earlier so we can pay the construction company," Dědeček said.
In the past, Budislav was visited and created in by figures such as Anna Marie Tilschová, František Langer, and Fráňa Šrámek, as well as Ivan Klíma, František Nepil, and Václav Čtvrtek. The monument-protected cottage stands on the eastern edge of the village and has been uninhabitable and closed since June of last year.
"The last investments were made in the 1970s. Last year, a water pipe burst and flooded the rooms. Everything needs to be repaired, from the roof to the foundations. Currently, the building has at least been drained and the terraces have been repaired," said the building manager Štěpán Heger to ČTK. According to him, people from all over the Czech Republic, interested in literature and aware of its connection to Karel Čapek and other writers, used to visit the cottage even without advertising.
The cottage is wooden and has two floors and four protruding loggias, sitting on a stone base. The building was constructed from the proceeds of the 16th Congress of PEN Clubs held in Prague in 1938.
Writer Karel Čapek also financially contributed to it. The cottage was designed by Stanislav Tobek, who was a student of architect Josef Gočár. Tobek designed several school buildings, Sokol halls, and gyms. For a long time, it was believed that the building was designed by the artist and writer Josef Čapek.
More information >
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