The conservationists will complete the first phase of the renovations of the castle in Litomyšl by the end of the year

Litomyšl - Conservators will complete the first phase of repairs of the castle in Litomyšl, which is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, by the end of the year. The deadline was one of the conditions for the grant from the European Integrated Regional Operational Programme (IROP). The construction company deployed the maximum number of employees for the project, said Miloš Kadlec, director of the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) territorial administration in Sychrov.

In the first phase, builders have repaired roofs, trusses, chimneys, and bays using European funds. Work also focused on the interiors, mainly of the third above-ground floor of the castle. The costs of 244 million crowns are covered by the European grant. "What was financed from IROP has been profinanced. The process of removing defects and unfinished work is underway, and a request for occupancy has been submitted, so everything is proceeding as it should," Kadlec stated.

Repairs began in February, after complications arose with the contractor selection process. NPÚ originally canceled it due to delays but eventually signed a contract with a new schedule. Conservators feared that they would not be able to utilize the European grant from IROP in time, therefore, the work funded by these resources will take precedence, with additional repairs, including the Manor House, to follow.

Alongside the first phase, work has already begun on other phases of repairs at the castle in Litomyšl. These include the restoration of other interiors, the restoration of sgraffito facades, and the Manor House. According to the plan, these should be completed by 2027. Conservators obtained an additional 425 million crowns from the state program for the Care of National Cultural Heritage.

Thanks to the reconstruction, the entire second floor of the castle, with its popular viewpoint on the second arcade, will gradually be made accessible. A new exhibition will also be created to showcase the collection of a historical theater from the 18th century. Over 20 complete sets of theatrical scenery have been preserved from it, including a palace, a prison, and a café. At the same time, the unused part of the theatrical decoration collection will be stored in a new depository with controlled climate. However, visitors will at least be able to glance into this otherwise secured room through glazed doors directly from the theater exhibition.

Technical operations had to function directly in the main building of the castle until now. The missing facilities for the castle management will return to the historically designated building, which is the Manor House, where there used to be a kindergarten in the past. This will free up many areas in the castle that can be made accessible to the public. The Manor House will undergo a comprehensive reconstruction, including engineering networks, renovation of historical windows, doors, and parquet floors, facade repairs, and garden modifications.

The castle in Litomyšl is a valuable example of the adaptation of an Italian Renaissance palace to the conditions of the Alpine countries. It was commissioned by Vratislav of Pernštejn as a gift for his wife in the 1560s to 1580s. The Renaissance residence was augmented in the 17th and 18th centuries by Baroque modifications made by subsequent owners, the Trauttmansdorffs and Waldstein-Wartenbergs, with the participation of leading Baroque artists. A unique feature is the preserved family theater from 1797. The castle was inscribed on the UNESCO list in 1999.