Visitors will first look at the reconstructed fortress Dobrošov at the beginning of May

Hradec Králové – The repaired pre-war fortress Dobrošov in the Náchod region is expected to open for the public on the weekend of May 7 and 8. The Hradec Králové region paid nearly 100 million crowns for construction work, including project documentation, construction supervision, and the purchase of furniture and audiovisual equipment. Two-thirds of the amount will be covered by a grant from the Integrated Regional Operational Program (IROP). This was stated by the region's spokesperson Dan Lechmann. Construction work on the reconstruction of the fortress began in June 2019 and was completed last summer.

"The ceremonial opening of the revitalized fortress Dobrošov will take place on Tuesday, May 3, but it will not yet be accessible to the public. The first visitors may be able to view the fortress on the weekend of May 7 and 8. We will clarify the information about the opening of the fortress to the public," Lechmann said.

Current information can be followed on the website of the Náchod Museum, which manages the operation of the Dobrošov fortress. Before the reconstruction, it was visited by around 30,000 people annually.

"All three above-ground buildings and the underground areas of the Dobrošov fort have undergone reconstruction. A new visitor center has been created, where people will be able to view an exhibition dedicated to the development of Czechoslovak fortifications and the events of the mobilization period," Lechmann said.

He pointed out that the exhibition will be supplemented by interactive audiovisual technology, which will prepare visitors for tours of the actual structures.

The individual above-ground structures, namely the infantry bunkers Můstek and Jeřáb and the artillery bunker Zelený, will also be accessible. Between them, there are 1,750 meters of connecting corridors and 750 meters of underground spaces at a depth of 20 to 39 meters below the surface. "The reinforced concrete bunkers are newly equipped with collection items and exhibits," Lechmann added.

According to the information from the regional office, the total cost of the project is 95.7 million crowns, of which construction work accounted for 74 million; the remainder was allocated for project documentation, construction and technical supervision, and other expenses. The prices include VAT.

The pre-war Dobrošov fortress is a national cultural monument and belongs to the Hradec Králové region. The region has owned the fortress since 2015 when it was transferred free of charge from the Czech Army.

The Dobrošov fortress, along with 12 other artillery fortresses, was supposed to defend the country's borders. Its construction began on September 13, 1937, and was planned for two years. It was to cost nearly 34 million Czechoslovak crowns. However, the workers managed to complete only three of the seven planned buildings. After the Munich events, construction stopped and the fortress remained unfinished.