The Strahov Monastery is interested in the Loucky Monastery

Znojmo/Prague - The deteriorating Loucký Monastery in Znojmo is of interest to the Memorial of National Literature. It is considering whether to relocate its depositaries from several locations in the Czech Republic to the expansive building. Its director Pavel Hazuka told ČTK that the building would be suitable, but the problem is the distance from Prague and the necessary investments for repairs. The Ministry of Culture, which should decide on the potential relocation of the memorial, estimates the costs to be between 600 and 800 million crowns.
The memorial, which is based in Prague's Strahov Monastery, has been looking for a new home since the early 1990s. Its depositaries are located in eight different places, for example, in the monastery in Kladruby or in Opočno. According to Hazuka, this is not ideal. The issue could be resolved by the Znojmo monument from the late 12th century, which has also been underutilized in recent years.
A new tenant has not yet been found, and the Office for the Representation of the State in Property Matters is currently preparing a tender, while also awaiting a statement from the memorial, stated the director of the office in Brno, Lenka Kolaříková. "The spaces are magnificent, but they are in poor condition; the reconstruction will definitely be very costly,” Hazuka believes. Estimates from experts, according to the ministry spokesperson, talk about 600 to 800 million crowns, but they could be significantly higher. This is a very limiting factor considering the ministry's budgetary possibilities, noted ministry spokesperson Jan Cieslar.
The final word is to be given by the ministry, according to Hazuka. However, Cieslar claims that the decision lies with the memorial. Hazuka added that Louka is not the only location the memorial is considering. He did not specify other places where over six million books, artworks, and other historical items could be placed.
According to a project commissioned by the Znojmo city council a few years ago, the Louka Monastery would be suitable for educational, congress, or cultural purposes. Currently, one part of the building houses a wine center of Znovín Znojmo. In the past, the monument served a engineering academy and the army.