The new church in Brno-Lesná is completed in terms of construction

Photo: Atelier Štěpán © Radek Úlehla

Brno – The new church in the Brno housing estate of Lesná is structurally completed except for some details. The construction company has handed over the work to the investor, namely the Roman Catholic parish, which has long planned a grand opening for May 1st of this year. It still counts on that date, but it will depend on the development of the situation regarding the coronavirus. Currently, events for larger groups of people, including masses, cannot be organized.

"We expected about 1000 people to come. We wanted to invite all the donors," said the parish priest from Lesná, Pavel Hověz, today to ČTK. The costs of the construction work exceeded 100 million Czech crowns, and additional funds will be needed for acoustic adjustments, the carillon, or interior furnishing. All the funds come from donations from believers, who can continue to contribute.

The unconventional church, designed by architect Marek Jan Štěpán, has been under construction since August 2017 for almost 30 months. The circular building, with a dominant 31-meter high tower featuring a carillon, was built entirely as a monolithic reinforced concrete structure. Notable features include rainbow-colored glass under the vault.

"The construction and technological deliveries have been completed and handed over. The parish is now finishing the interior furnishings and preparing to install 16 bells for the planned carillon," stated Jaromír Baláž, director of JB Stavební from the Swietelsky group, which built the church.

The church will be dedicated to Blessed Mary Restituta. A native of Husovice, now a district of Brno, she lived in Vienna as a nun and nurse. The Nazis executed her in 1943.

Even if the church manages to open for believers on May 1st, the facilities will be provisional for some time. The parish will utilize equipment from the neighboring spiritual center of Martin Středa and donated pews from Staré Město near Uherské Hradiště. Other things will be done "on the go," Hověz mentioned.