Prostějov wants to start the repair of the roof of the National House in 2017

Prostějov - The Prostějov City Hall plans to start the long-awaited renovation of the roof of the National House next year, which was opened in 1907 and is a significant Art Nouveau monument. The roof reconstruction is estimated to cost around nine million crowns. The council has already approved the tendering process, said Deputy Mayor Zdeněk Fišer (ČSSD) to ČTK.

"We will send out a call for bids to ten potential suppliers. In evaluating the bids, we will consider the bid price and, among other things, the duration of the project," Fišer stated. He reminded that the National House is a listed monument, so the construction company will have to comply with the rules set by the heritage protectors.

The City Hall preliminarily expects that the roof reconstruction of the National House should begin next spring and be completed by August 2018 at the latest. Due to the fact that the National House is on the list of national cultural monuments, the City Hall will require a bank guarantee of 1.3 million crowns and insurance for potential damages from the contractor.

The city began a series of renovations of the National House after 1989. Over the last 20 years, the gradual reconstruction of the stage technology and interior has cost approximately 90 million crowns. This year, the City Hall started preparations for the repair of the truss, roof structure, façade, and interior of the building, including stained glass windows. The total costs are estimated by the city at 100 million crowns, of which a subsidy of 60 to 85 million crowns may be obtained for the project.

The National House in Prostějov is a unique Art Nouveau monument of European significance. It is one of the city’s landmarks. It was built between 1905 and 1907 according to the design of leading representative of Czech Art Nouveau, Jan Kotěra. Its role was to create a cultural and social center for the city with a pub, theater, and spaces for associations. The modifications made during World War II significantly altered the original features of Kotěra's work.