Krumlov will go to Paris to find out UNESCO's position on the carousel

České Budějovice - Representatives of Český Krumlov will learn at the end of June during a UNESCO committee meeting in Paris the opinion of its members regarding the continuation of the rotating auditorium in the castle garden. Only after that will České Budějovice, which owns the auditorium, commission the preparation of a feasibility study for the reconstruction or construction of a new theater in Český Krumlov. Krumlov's mayor Dalibor Carda (ČSSD) said this after today's meeting with the South Bohemian governor Jiří Zimola (ČSSD) and the mayor of České Budějovice Juraj Thoma (OPB).
    "The year 2015, by which the auditorium can remain in the garden according to an agreement with the Ministry of Culture, is approaching, we must begin to act. The UNESCO committee will have the evaluation report of the Czech Republic on the state of the historic center of Krumlov, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the deputy mayor Jitka Zikmundová will be a member of the Czech delegation," Carda stated, adding that the city wants to learn firsthand what UNESCO thinks about the auditorium.
    The mayor of Český Krumlov was then tasked with trying to advocate for a reduction in the entrance fees for the auditorium charged by the South Bohemian Theater, which operates the open-air theater in the garden, at the city council. Last year, this amounted to approximately 2.6 million crowns. According to Carda, negotiations will be difficult as the city will not be able to sell land for about 12 million crowns this year, leading to a shortfall in budget revenues. He noted that agreements are being formulated with the ministry and the region regarding compensations, possibly in the form of a subsidy for UNESCO cities.
    Politicians today confirmed in the new post-election representation, according to the governor, the so-called Three Kings Agreement, in which representatives of the region and both cities signed that they support the preservation of the auditorium in the castle garden in Český Krumlov. "For me, the location is essential. The option of moving the auditorium several dozen meters away is absolutely nonsensical in my opinion. (...) We are rather discussing the option of a rotating auditorium that would have a more favorable impact on the baroque garden," stated the governor.
    The stakeholders agreed that the only way to obtain funding for the reconstruction or construction of a new rotating auditorium in the same space is from the funds of the EU Integrated Operational Program for the Center of Open-Air Theater. However, it is necessary to understand the views of the UNESCO committee members before taking further steps.
    The existence of the auditorium is displeasing to heritage conservationists and representatives of UNESCO, which has the historic center of the city along with the castle complex listed as a cultural heritage site since 1992. The owner of the castle garden is the state, specifically the National Heritage Institute. The auditorium first appeared in the castle garden in 1958. Over time, the audience size grew, and today it accommodates 658 spectators. It was supposed to be removed from the garden as early as spring 1999. The Ministry of Culture has repeatedly decided to extend its lifespan.