After reconstruction, the entire Old Royal Palace is accessible

Prague - The Old Royal Palace, the oldest part of the Prague Castle complex, is once again fully accessible to visitors after three years of extensive renovations. The ceremonial opening of the palace today was attended by President Václav Klaus, who reminded that during the repairs of the Castle, the current administrators of the most significant Czech monument primarily adhere to its authenticity; Klaus is not a supporter of modern interventions in old palaces.
    The former Czech president Václav Havel, like some of his predecessors, engaged a castle architect and designer. Bořek Šípek modified certain interiors according to his wishes and made several interventions in the architecture, but not in the oldest parts of the Castle, nor to the extent that occurred during the First Czechoslovak Republic and according to the designs of architect Josip Plečnik at the time.
    Since 2007, the administration of Prague Castle has been repairing the roofs and facades of the Old Royal Palace, as well as its entire interior. Individual parts of the palace were gradually opened to tourists. Now, the renovation of the last reconstructed area - the Hall of New Land Registers, where the historical flooring was restored, has been completed.
    During the work, restorers dismantled the entire wooden floor of the Vladislav Hall, which was laid in 1791 as part of the preparations for the coronation of Leopold II. After carpentry repairs of damaged and warped sections, it was returned to its original place. For greater protection, the administration of the Castle laid heavy carpets in the most used areas. A new feature is text panels with information about the palace.
    The reconstruction also pertained to the palace's furnishings - doors, cabinets, chests, tables, tiled stoves, chandeliers, and 15 portraits of the Habsburgs. The restored furniture is newly installed in the palace, thus expanding the offer of permanent exhibitions of the Castle.
    The history of the Old Royal Palace dates back to the 12th century, thus to the Romanesque period. Its Gothic section has hosted a permanent exhibition "The Story of Prague Castle" for several years, which documents the thousand-year history of the residence of Czech kings through hundreds of original items.
    During the current restoration of the palace, restorers repaired most of its main parts - Vladislav's bedroom, the Green Room, the anteroom of the Vladislav Hall, the Vladislav Hall itself, the room of New Land Registers, the Riding Staircase, and the Ludwig Wing. According to the Castle, it was the most extensive reconstruction of the palace in the last 80 years.
    The palace reconstruction also brought an unexpected discovery. In the Church of All Saints, workers found a 600-year-old Gothic wood carving of Jesus Christ during the repair of the electrical wiring. After restoration, it is to be returned to St. George's Basilica.
    Prague Castle is a national cultural monument, and the owners of cultural monuments are mandated by heritage law to take care of them.