The renovation of the castle in Horní Maršov cannot be expected sooner than in five years

Horní Maršov - Completion of the restoration of the burned castle in Horní Maršov, along with the castle park, cannot be expected sooner than in five years. The total costs will be in the hundreds of millions of crowns, with an anticipated payback period of the investment exceeding 20 years. The investor's intention is to build a hotel-style home for active seniors on the site, which will operate on the principle of long-term rentals. This was stated today by Tomáš Perman, spokesperson for the castle's owner and investor, Krkonoše Resort Invest. He emphasized that no apartments are planned in the castle.

The monument-protected castle was destroyed by fire in August 2018, which obliterated the roofs, two towers, and the attic extension. The damage was estimated at five million crowns. A group of men, including the former owner of the castle who, according to the court, ordered the fire, was convicted for the arson attack on the castle.

"We took over the castle last year in a deteriorated state, but the project is not just about its revitalization; it is also about a direct connection between the castle grounds and the municipality. We plan to have open access to the brewery and the castle from the square. The park and part of the castle will thus be accessible to the public, which will expand the square and create a pleasant cultural environment in the center of Horní Maršov," said Perman to ČTK.

According to him, the project is at the beginning. "If we succeed in obtaining all the necessary permits, we could complete the revitalization of the castle and the adjacent park within five years. In this ideal case, we anticipate starting construction work no earlier than in two years," Perman told ČTK.

The current owner, who has owned the castle complex since mid-2024, has invested hundreds of thousands of crowns in securing it so far. Before the current winter, the company, in agreement with heritage protectors, covered part of the roof, which was in unsatisfactory condition. "We are preparing to move the monument-protected inventory to a safe place. We will now conduct 3D scanning of the interior elements. After prior agreement with the municipality and the Krkonošsko-jesenická National Park Administration based on recommendations from dendrologists, we have proceeded to fell several damaged trees in the park that posed a life threat," Perman reported.

An architectural study is also being prepared, experts are completing a dendrological survey of the park, and the owner is striving for all necessary permits and negotiating with heritage protectors. According to the heritage protectors, the damaged structure is an important example of a rural late Baroque castle that has been modernized. Since 1994, the castle has not been used.

"We plan to build a hotel-style nursing home on the castle grounds," said Perman. The investor has already presented the project in the municipality, and the leadership of Horní Maršov welcomes the intention. "If the purpose of the project does not change, it will be a benefit for the municipality," said Pavel Mrázek, the mayor of Horní Maršov, to ČTK.

The company has already invested in the renovation of an older apartment building in Horní Maršov, where apartments for employees of the hotels owned by the company in Pec and Janské Lázně have been created.

Behind Krkonoše Resort Invest, formerly Pec Resort Invest, is investor Tomáš Otruba, who lives alternately in the Krkonošsko region in Velká Úpa and in Prague. The company owns the Grand Hotel Hradec in the center of Pec pod Sněžkou, as well as the Omnia Hotel Relax & Wellness and Vyhlídka Residence at the lower station of the cable car in Janské Lázně.

Last year, Otruba became the co-owner of the Harmony Hotel in Špindlerův Mlýn along with entrepreneur Renáta Kellnerová and her daughter Anna. Otruba co-owns this hotel through his investment company Nordic Investors Group, investor representatives informed ČTK.