The wooden church in Hradec Králové will be freed from insects by heating

Hradec Králové - The wooden church of St. Nicholas from the early 17th century in Hradec Králové will be treated for wood-destroying insects using a special method of heating the entire structure. The so-called thermal sanitation is part of the overall renovation of the church, which is being carried out by the Prague company GEMA ART GROUP for the Hradec Králové town hall at a cost of 18.8 million crowns. The heating of the church is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25. CTK was informed of this today by the town hall spokesperson Magdaléna Vlčková. The monument-protected church is one of the oldest wooden church monuments in Central Europe.

The thermal sanitation technology involves heating the church with hot air at a temperature of about 70 degrees Celsius. "Once the probes placed in the beams reach 50 degrees for 30 minutes, the wood-destroying insects are eliminated," stated Jan Falta, head of the town hall's heritage care department. The entire church will be covered to prevent heat loss. Other methods of pest control, such as chemicals, cannot be used according to Falta due to the risk of damaging the interior paintwork. "Thermal sanitation was evaluated as the gentlest method for the monument's value," he added.

The church was originally built in the village of Habura in eastern Slovakia. In the mid-18th century, Habura sold it to the neighboring Malá Poľana, from where it was acquired by Hradec Králové in 1935. The considerably dilapidated church was then dismantled and rebuilt in Hradec Králové's Jiráskovy Sady after being transported by train. Since then, it has not undergone any major repairs. The town hall leases the church to the Orthodox Church.

During the reconstruction of the wooden structure, traditional craftsmanship techniques and material composition will be adhered to. The church is also set to receive modern equipment that will ensure stable temperature and humidity levels inside. New electrical installations and water supply connections will be installed, and the altar and wall paintings will be repaired, along with the gate and fencing, while a new access road will be constructed. The restoration is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.

Eleven years ago, there were debates in Slovakia about the possibility of returning the Hradec church to Habura, as it was claimed that the initial sale to Malá Poľana was conducted without a proper contract. Hradec Králové unequivocally rejected the possibility of returning the church at that time. Architects and builders from Habura eventually made plans for the church in Hradec and built a copy of it in Habura in 2011, which is located 600 kilometers from Hradec Králové.