Money is still not available for the restoration of the burned-down castle in Zahrádky

Zahrádky - The restoration of the castle in Zahrádky in the Českolipsko region, which burned down 15 years ago, is still nowhere in sight. Charles University, as the owner of the monument, is unable to finance it on its own, and its attempts to obtain funding from other sources have so far been unsuccessful.

"It's still the same; unfortunately, nothing is happening," said the mayor of Zahrádky, Ladislav Chvojka, to ČTK today.

University spokesperson Václav Hájek told ČTK today that according to a recently processed analysis, over 600 million crowns will be needed for the total reconstruction of the castle. This is beyond the school's capability, so it wants to seek cooperation and funding from the Czech government or find another partner. "We have undertaken an analysis of the possibilities of utilizing partnership within PPP (public-private partnerships), where a significant portion of the investment costs would be borne by an external partner," said Hájek.

For tourists and locals, at least a park that was established in the first half of the 17th century by its then owner, Albrecht of Wallenstein, is accessible in the castle complex. Every year, a number of well-attended events are held there; last year, ZahrádkyFest, the charity concert Night with the Stars, Zahrádky Celebrations, and Children's Day took place there. "Collaboration with the local region and the municipal council is excellent," appreciated the university spokesperson.

The castle, built in the second half of the 16th century, has been owned by the university since 1974. It had a hotel with 96 beds, a conference hall, and classrooms. The school used it for language teaching and it was a valuable source of finances. A huge fire ravaged the building on January 30, 2003, and at that time spread to the entire structure. From one of the region's most valuable monuments, only the outer walls remained, and for more than a year, rain poured in until it finally received at least a temporary roof. The school spent more than 15 million crowns securing the burned building. To prevent further devastation, the site has a manager.

Two years ago, the university purchased an outbuilding that previously belonged to the castle for more than nine million crowns and had the roof repaired. "The university undertook this step to provide a compact background for potential educational activities," added the spokesperson.