In the Highlands, the former granary in Jihlava has been included among the monuments

photo: www.npu.cz

Jihlava – In Vysočina, the former cooperative grain warehouse in Jihlava has been declared a cultural monument. The massive building with a unique lamella roof, located on what is now Chlumova Street, near the city’s train station, was built in 1927. Its design is exceptional not only in the region but also in the country. ČTK was informed today by Ilona Ampapová from the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) office in Telč. There are 2,980 immovable cultural monuments in Vysočina.

The grain warehouse represents a valuable example of agricultural buildings from the first half of the 20th century, stated Pavel Macků, director of the NPÚ office in Telč, in the report. He also pointed out the authentically preserved state of the granary, including remnants of the machinery.

The warehouse was created according to the design of the Brno builder Johann Theimer and served its original purpose until recently. The bell-shaped roof derives from the economical design of the Zollbau lamella roof, which was developed by architect Fridrich Zollinger. The five-story warehouse building is connected to a smaller administrative building with apartments for employees.

The granary was once threatened with demolition due to a planned road construction. Two years ago, the city council announced a reassessment of the plan, which gives the granary a chance for new use. Architecture historian Lukáš Beran stated during a special tour of the granary in October 2017 that the lamella roof was cheaper because it uses short wood and does not contain long beams. The boards, measuring just under two meters, are connected diagonally at a precisely determined angle. Beran noted at that time that there are around ten structures with lamella roofs preserved in the Czech Republic; in Jihlava, the technology was already used in 1925 during the construction of a family house.