The church transformed the Břežany castle into a four-star hotel

"The value of human work and human artistry is immeasurable. And I am truly immensely happy that it has been clearly said 'thank you' to all of you who participated in the restoration not only of this space but of the whole of Dolní Břežany," said Cardinal Dominik Duka during the ceremonial blessing.

The hotel, which boasts 41 double rooms, an atrium with a lobby bar, a restaurant, lounges, and a chapel, is intended among others for scientists from the laser centers in Břežany. However, it will also be open to regular tourists. The first guests are expected to arrive in October, and various events, including conferences, have been arranged.

The castle once served as the economic and administrative center of the Dolní Břežany estate, which was owned by the archdiocese. In 1945, it was confiscated by the state. After nationalization, the area was managed by the ministries of agriculture, national defense, and the interior. It was returned to the church as part of restitution.

According to Jan Liebner from the investment department of the archdiocese, the condition of the castle was very poor. Insensitive construction interventions had taken their toll on it; for example, there were layers of concrete on the wooden floors. Water was also leaking into the building. The biggest challenge was the very start of the work. "Structures that did not belong here were being demolished. Despite the numerous probes that were carried out, we did not know what the workers had under their feet," Liebner told ČTK. There were also problems with the statics; the ceiling structures had to be reinforced to meet new standards.

The main part of the reconstruction began in November 2016, with demolition work taking about a year beforehand. Builders discovered rare paintings under the plaster. Some were restored, and others were at least conserved in agreement with heritage protection experts.

Duka recalled that the church, as part of partial compensation, received dozens of devastated economic courtyards and monasteries, and pointed out that its purpose is to serve. In Břežany, it is venturing, albeit only by providing space, into the field of science. In cooperation with the municipality, it has enabled the construction of ELI and HiLase laser centers and established an administrative-technological center for the Japanese company Rigaku. One of the nearest investments in the Prague Archdiocese will be the reconstruction of a large farm in the village of Drasty, which falls under Klecany. According to the spokesperson of the archdiocese, Stanislav Zeman, the costs should be about half a billion crowns. The renovated area is to host Carmelite sisters from the monastery at Hradčanské náměstí in Prague. They would like to operate the monastery as a hotel.

Balák stated that the archdiocese is preparing a new project in Klecany for the construction of a school, kindergarten, and dormitory for hearing-impaired children. "At present, we are in the stage of land exchange and the study phase," he added.