The original tables' replicas should return to Ještěd

photo: Pavel Štecha

Liberec - The Liberec Association Ještěd 73 has initiated the second phase of the bar renovation in the mountain hotel and transmitter Ještěd. The key part is the production of replicas of the original illuminated tables, and the number of armchairs and bar stools should also be increased to the full count. Milena Lánská, the chairwoman of the association, said this to ČTK today.
    To produce the replicas, 328,000 crowns are needed, which the association aims to raise from sponsors among companies and the public. "We will appreciate any amount," Lánská stated.
    The association has been dealing with the renovation of the hotel's and transmitter's interiors, which are among the most original architectural works in the Czech Republic, since last year. The salon, designed by Otakar Binar in the 1970s, a collaborator of the author of Ještěd, Karel Hubáček, was the first to undergo restoration for half a million crowns. The large table, white metal armchairs, and restored wool tapestry by Vladimír Křečan featuring a sun motif returned to the salon last year. "The restoration of the salon was supported by over 40 donors," Lánská recalled.
    Thanks to the sponsors, this year's first phase of the renovation of the neighboring bar was also paid for. Among the largest contributors were the Liberec region, the Ještěd hotel, and Liberec. The production of seven bar stools and eight armchairs cost approximately 580,000 crowns. "Currently, there are tables in the bar that have been there in recent years. Therefore, returning the original tables to the bar is now our priority," explained Lánská. They want to have three illuminated tables made, along with three more bar stools and four armchairs. Altogether, there would be ten stools and twelve armchairs in the bar. People can send money to the collection account 259 826 549/0300.
    According to Lánská, work on restoring the popular hanging chairs known as eggs has also been ongoing since November. "Initially, we only wanted to replace the upholstery. It turned out that the structure of the eggs is also damaged,” she specified. The repair of the hanging chairs will require about 60,000 crowns, and they should likely return to the hotel in January.
    The Ještěd hotel and transmitter, opened in 1973, is a national cultural monument, and people have chosen the unique hyperboloid as the Czech building of the century. Hubáček received the prestigious international Perret Prize for the construction. The Liberec region is striving to have Ještěd listed as a UNESCO heritage site. Since 2000, the mountain hotel and transmitter have been owned by Czech Telecommunications, which acquired Ještěd for 85 million crowns. Approximately 50 million crowns have since been invested in its repairs. However, the unique building needs a much more extensive renovation, with costs estimated at 400 million crowns.