The Minister of Culture declared the train station in Ústí nad Orlicí a cultural monument

Ústí nad Orlicí - Minister of Culture Václav Riedlbauch declared the train station building in Ústí nad Orlicí a cultural monument at the end of May. However, Czech Railways, as the owner of the building, filed an objection, and the matter will be addressed by the appeals commission of the Ministry of Culture. Martin Kadrman, chairman of the civic association We Will Not Give Up the Station!, told ČTK today.
    "We believe that the appeals commission will confirm the minister's decision," Kadrman said. The 19th-century station was originally threatened with demolition due to planned adjustments of the railway track. However, the advocates for preserving the building managed to achieve the almost impossible: they convinced the state and railway organizations to reject the demolition plan.
    The modernization of the railway line, including the construction of a new station, was estimated to cost 2.4 billion crowns. According to earlier information from ČTK, the Railway Infrastructure Administration (SŽDC) is capable of changing the already prepared project so that the station can be preserved.
    "We want Czech Railways to sell the building to SŽDC for a symbolic price. They would renovate and operate the building," Kadrman said. He added that this plan is supported by the Pardubice Region and the city of Ústí nad Orlicí. The building could, for example, house a railway museum or an information center for Podorlicko.
    Czech Railways previously stated that they considered the rejection of the demolition plan to be definitive. "The building will definitely remain standing. However, we are addressing what to do with the building next. According to the project, it would be cut off from the track, and there would be no access road leading to it," said ČD spokesman Ondřej Kubala earlier. He added that "it is those who want to preserve it that must breathe life into the old station."
    Nearly 15,000 people opposed the demolition in an online petition. The Classical-style station was designed by architect Rudolf Frey. The building, which has an H-shaped layout with stone cornices, is made of exposed brick, with the upper floors constructed from less common half-timbered construction.