The House of Nature Soutok is to be established in the Břeclav Castle

Břeclav - The House of Nature Soutok, associated with the establishment of the new protected landscape area (CHKO) Soutok starting from July 1 of this year, should be created at the Břeclav castle. The city administration informed about this on the website. The repair of the necessary spaces in the castle and the construction of the exhibition are expected to cost 180 million crowns.

"The visitor center – the so-called House of Nature – should serve not only as an exhibition but also as a tourist information center. For this purpose, we will reconstruct about forty percent of the castle building," said the deputy mayor of Břeclav, Jakub Matuška (Young and Restless).

The city aims to obtain a grant of up to 150 million crowns for the repair of the necessary spaces and the establishment of the exhibition from the Swiss-Czech cooperation program announced by the Ministry of the Environment; the application was submitted a few days ago.

"The estimated expenses of 180 million crowns include the reconstruction of the affected part of the castle, the necessary technical and transport infrastructure, and also the exhibition itself. Renowned architects from the Capacity Expo studio are already working on the concept of the exhibition space," the deputy mayor added.

The exhibition is expected to utilize video mapping, lighting and sound effects, large-format images, 3D wallpapers, and life-sized models. Besides providing information, it is also meant to evoke emotions.

"The grant from the Swiss funds is not the only one the city is seeking. We are also applying for a grant for the complete restoration of window fillings and related energy measures. From the ENERGov grant call, which focuses on energy savings in protected heritage buildings, we could obtain an additional 27 million crowns. We also received an oral promise of financial support from the South Moravian Region," Matuška said. Whether the city will receive the grant should be known this summer, and the work could then begin next year.

The Břeclav castle is a Renaissance building constructed on the foundations of an older castle; in the 19th century, it was rebuilt in the romantic style by the Liechtensteins. The castle was nationalized in 1945 and deteriorated for most of the 20th century, undergoing partial repairs after 2000. Currently, it is in an emergency state, with only the southern tower repaired; the city had it renovated in 2020 for 5.5 million crowns. The city hall then planned to convert the castle into a hotel with the help of a private investor, but that plan fell through.