The Ministry of Culture is determining whether the train station in Havířov is a monument

Havířov (Karviná) - The Ministry of Culture will again assess the arguments for declaring the Havířov train station a cultural monument. It has initiated an administrative proceeding. When the result will be announced is not yet clear. Until then, nothing can be done with the building. One of the main reasons for the proceeding is the mosaic that adorns the interior of the building. Helena Markusová, a spokeswoman for the ministry, stated this to ČTK today.
    The initiative was submitted to the ministry by a group of experts involved in the occasional association "Mine of Architecture." According to them, there are several arguments for preserving the station, which Czech Railways plans to demolish instead. "We received a recommendation that we evaluated as justified. It is also based on the opinions of leading experts in the field," the spokeswoman stated. She added that until the administrative proceeding is concluded, the building will be under the protection of the ministry. "Any intended change must be reported by the owner," she stated. Petr Šťáhlavský, spokesperson for ČD, told ČTK that the owner would respect this. "We are only taking steps allowed by the legislation," he noted.
    One of the main and new arguments from the advocates for saving the building, which was constructed in the so-called Brussels style, is the mosaic created according to the design of the world-renowned artist and glass designer Vladimír Kopecký. It measures 65 square meters and was made using a technology that has already disappeared in the Czech Republic.
    Šťáhlavský admitted that if the mosaic is indeed rare, its preservation might be possible independently of the building. "It can be removed and relocated to some gallery," he said. The opposing side disagrees. "Given the interconnectedness of the artwork with the architecture, not only ideologically but also technologically, it is not possible to relocate the mosaic," art historian Marcela Gavendová already stated to ČTK earlier.
    The train station building is to make way for the construction of a new transport terminal. It is a joint project of the city and ČD. According to information from the city hall, the railways were to take care of the reconstruction of the station building, while the city was to address the arrangement of the space in front of the station. The terminal, costing approximately 200 million crowns, is intended to connect train, bus, and personal transport, with the bus stops and a large parking lot to follow the train station.
    Members of the association have previously sought for the station to be declared a cultural monument. However, their initiative ultimately was not successful. According to them, the train station in Havířov is a significant work by Josef Hrejsemnou and was built between 1964 and 1969. It is reportedly part of the world-renowned contribution of Czech architects in the field of industrial heritage.