The honorable tomb in Krásná Lípa will likely be saved

photo: Mirek256, Wikimedia Commons

Krásná Lípa - The magnificent tomb of industrialist Karel Dittrich in Krásná Lípa in the Děčín region will likely be saved. The dilapidated heritage-protected building with a chapel could be secured by the state and then transferred to the city, which would continue the renovation of the structure, which was once heated.

The devastated building is owned by the state, but the land is owned by the city. "No one wanted to invest in someone else's property. Now the representatives have agreed on the conditions under which we are willing to take over the tomb," said Krásná Lípa mayor Jan Kolář to ČTK.

The town hall has already negotiated with the Office for State Representation in Property Matters. "The talks revealed that the state should try to find a solution for carrying out the securing work. This is one of the basic conditions that we have set," Kolář stated. The office is now determining whether it could invest in the property that it would later transfer. The director of the Ústí region's state property management department, Karel Pekárek, confirmed the conclusions of the oral negotiations to ČTK. Without basic stabilization work, Krásná Lípa does not want to take over the tomb.

As the owner, the office should request a binding opinion from heritage conservationists, in which they will approve the work process. The city commissioned a project for the rescue of the tomb years ago, which can be utilized according to the conservationists. "First, the ceilings, which are too waterlogged, must be statically secured, they need to be supported with wood, then a new roof must be built," said Tomáš Brož from the National Heritage Institute to ČTK. "These two steps must be linked. The cost for the work, according to estimates from the original project, should not exceed one million Czech crowns," Brož mentioned.

The mausoleum of the textile magnate's family was designed in 1886 by the famous Berlin architect Julius Carl Raschdorff, who is also the author of the tomb of German Emperor Friedrich III. in Potsdam. The decoration of the Krásná Lípa tomb is unique, with the walls covered in small glass blue-gold mosaics. "There were mosaic experts here who were fascinated. Such findings also increase the value of the building, which is perceived as significant," the mayor stated.

The building includes a small boiler room, which made it possible to heat the mausoleum. The interior decoration was taken care of by local native August Frind. Due to the high technical level and artistic quality of the interiors, the Ministry of Culture declared the Dittrich family tomb a cultural monument in 2006.