Kladno wants to participate in the preservation of historical industrial buildings

Kladno - The city of Kladno is interested in preserving historical buildings in the area of the former Vojtěšská Huta as part of the industrial heritage of Kladensko. The industrial complex, also known as Koněv, is not owned by the city, as it was sold off to several companies after the collapse of Poldi Kladno in 1996. On their plots of land, there are now historical structures such as lime kilns from the 1930s or the director's house of the foundry from the 19th century. This was stated today by Miroslav Bernášek, the first deputy mayor of Kladno, after a meeting of city officials with representatives of the landowners and conservationists.
"The aim of the meeting is for the landowners to realize that there is something precious on their land," Bernášek said.
While the city does not plan to buy the monuments from the current owners, it can assist professionals in creating a list of historical buildings or in seeking grants for their maintenance and restoration. Conservationists intend to submit the list of historical industrial buildings to the National Heritage Institute, which could decide on their classification as protected monuments. Until that happens, their current owners can have them demolished.
"However, according to the statements of the landowners, such as representatives of the company Poldi Hütte, they are not currently considering this," Bernášek noted.
The possibilities of using former industrial sites in Kladno were demonstrated by last year's Industrial Footprints biennale, in which the city wants to participate again in 2007. The Industrial Footprints biennale, held concurrently in Prague, included not only a professional conference but also cultural events in unconventional spaces. Particularly in Kladensko, the organizers used buildings with an industrial past for concerts, exhibitions, and theater performances. One of the main events of the biennale was a project titled Kladno + - Negative, which visitors could view in the area of the former Koněv hut. In a program called Industrial Safari, they could, for example, explore illuminated and audible structures in the disappearing industrial zone. A concert by the Czech Chamber Philharmonic was also held in front of a filled audience in the miners' locker room at the Mayrau Mining Open-Air Museum in Vinařice near Kladno.