The collection for the restoration of the bar on Ještěd raised 150,000 CZK

Liberec - The limited-time fundraising campaign for the restoration of the original interior parts of the Avion bar in the mountain hotel and transmitter Ještěd in Liberec has ended in success. 150,000 crowns were raised, which is 20,000 crowns more than needed. This was reported today by Milena Lánská, chairwoman of the Ještěd 73 association, to ČTK. The association is involved in the restoration of the interiors.
    In the two-month fundraising campaign, at least 130,000 crowns needed to be raised. If that had not been achieved, the money would have been returned to the donors. More than 100 people contributed through the internet fundraising on the Katalyzátor portal. "In the coming days, we will be sending gifts to people that they could choose for their contributions," Lánská stated. Each donor will also receive an invitation from the hotel for coffee at a table in the restored bar.
    The bar is returning to its original form from the 1970s when the Ještěd building was completed. From the original elements, only the massive bar counter, shelves, and lighting have been preserved. Only one of the armchairs has survived, while the drum-shaped tables and bar stools resembling ashtrays have disappeared. The association is collaborating on the restoration with the author of the original furnishings - architect Otakar Binar. The replicas differ from the original in details. For example, in the backlit bar table, LED lighting has replaced the light bulbs.
    The Ještěd hotel and transmitter are among the most original architectural works in the Czech Republic. The Ještěd 73 association has been trying to restore the interior to its original appearance for the third year now. Two years ago, it successfully restored the lounge for about half a million crowns, and since last year, it has been focusing on the neighboring bar areas. The project is divided into two phases, the first costing 595,000 crowns, while the second will require 328,000 crowns. "We need to raise the last 40,000 crowns," Lánská said. For the second phase, in addition to people involved in the fundraising, the Liberec region contributed 100,000 crowns, along with students and graduates of the Liberec Faculty of Architecture.
    The Ještěd hotel and transmitter have been serving since 1973. The building is a national cultural monument, and people voted it as the Czech building of the 20th century in a survey. The Liberec region is striving to have Ještěd listed as a UNESCO heritage site. Since 2000, the owner of the hotel and transmitter is České Radiokomunikace, which acquired Ještěd for 85 million crowns. More than 50 million crowns have been invested in its repairs since then. The restoration plan has been approved, and the next step will be the preparation of project documentation. The cost of repairs is estimated to reach tens to hundreds of millions of crowns.