The reconstruction of the Liebieg Palace in Liberec is expected to begin next year

Liberec - The reconstruction of the unused Liebieg Palace in Liberec into a meeting and community center is expected to start at the beginning of next year and finish approximately 18 months later. The estimated cost of the reconstruction is about 215 million crowns, said Deputy Mayor Jiří Němeček (ANO) today to ČTK. Most of the costs will be covered by EU grants.

At this moment, the city is waiting for a building permit and will then begin searching for a company to renovate the heritage-protected building constructed between 1871 and 1872. "Regarding the external appearance, the building will be restored to its original form. This means the connection between the former orangery, terraces, and park will be restored, the terrace areas will be repaired, and the facades will be renovated," said Jan Lajksner, a technical specialist from the Liberec City Hall, to ČTK today.

The Neo-Renaissance palace was built by the industrialist Johann Liebieg, but after his death, the family stopped residing in the villa and rented it out. In the past, the palace was also used by the gendarmerie's emergency unit. However, due to various uses, only part of the original spaces has been preserved inside. "In several parts that were damaged by reconstructions in the 20th century, there will also be demolition work and a hall for 50 people will be created here," Lajksner stated. The historically preserved interiors will retain their shape, but need to be repaired and equipped. The building has retained a number of original elements, from interesting window paneling with hidden shutters to window fittings, original doors, parquet floors, and wrought-iron railings of the central staircase. Completely new will be the internal installations, and two elevators will also be built. According to Lajksner, the entrance to the complex from Komenského Street will also be renovated, the orangery will be transformed into a café, and the pavilion will also be functional, for example, for concerts or wedding ceremonies.

In the past, the palace served longest for exhibition purposes; the Regional Gallery was in the building for 60 years from 1953. At the end of 2014, it moved to modern, spacious areas of the renovated municipal baths. Since then, the complex has been vacant. "For me, the most interesting aspect of this project is that after many years we will bring back into operation a beautiful historic building that will not remain idle," said Deputy Mayor Ivan Langr to ČTK today. He estimates that after the opening, up to 120,000 people could use all the services of the meeting center annually. "It's not about unique visitors, but repeat visitors," he added.

The Liebieg Palace is expected to become a meeting place for people of various ages from children to seniors and different social groups. It will be operated by the city organization Kontakt. "Our goal is to create a guide to the life of every Liberec resident here. There will be a wide range of services, from leisure activities to educational and environmental ones, as well as various social services," stated Kontakt's director Michael Dufek.