Tourists are preparing repairs for the roof and rooms at the Jirásek Lodge

Dobrošov - The Czech Tourist Club (KČT) is preparing to repair the roof and rooms of Jirásek's lodge in Dobrošov above Náchod for a total of more than ten million crowns. While the roof reconstruction of about one million crowns is expected to start in spring, tourists will have to wait for the modernization of the rooms on the second floor for 9.4 million crowns, representatives of the KČT Náchod association told ČTK. They lack funds for the room repairs. The lodge belongs to KČT.

"We already have a completed project and building permit for the interior repairs of the rooms, but we are struggling with finances. We are looking for funds wherever we can. As soon as we have them, work will begin immediately," said Miroslav Horák, the chairman of the Náchod KTP, to ČTK. However, he did not dare to estimate when the work inside the building would begin.

The rooms on the second floor will be modified "to the form of the 21st century." Instead of the current six rooms, there will be eight double to quadruple rooms with private bathrooms. One floor up, simple tourist accommodation will remain in two large rooms with shared bathrooms. The renovation of the rooms will also include the rearrangement of heating and water systems. The insulation of the building is also insufficient. "Accommodation is still operating there. It just gets harder in winter because the top doesn't heat up," Horák told ČTK.

The local KČT is also trying to resolve the financing of the repairs through a public collection, and people can send money for the repairs to a specially established account. According to Horák, there are currently only 32,000 crowns in it.

Jirásek's lodge, with its characteristic lookout tower, is a popular destination for residents of nearby Náchod. There is a restaurant on the ground floor. However, according to the vice-chairman of the Náchod KČT, Jaroslav Rohulán, the lodge still does not earn enough for repairs. "This is not only the problem of this lodge but also of others like it. When our ancestors built tourist lodges in the 1930s, they already anticipated that larger renovations would need to be financed from other sources. They fairly counted on support from the state," Rohulán told ČTK.

According to him, most tourist lodges in the Czech Republic are not profitable. "Most objects were created in places where people only come when the weather is nice. The operator is just happy to earn enough to cover employee salaries and regular operations. It is no wonder that there are not enough funds for renovations from regular operations," Rohulán told ČTK.

Jirásek's lodge, built in the 1920s, has been a cultural monument since 1958. The planned renovation of the rooms and other repairs will not affect the appearance of the lodge.

Construction of Jirásek's lodge in Dobrošov began in 1921 and it was officially opened on September 30, 1923. From December 1, it was in regular operation and later expanded, according to the website of the lodge. It was built according to a project by the famous architect Dušan Jurkovič. Its construction was made possible by a public collection. The dilapidated lodge returned to tourist ownership in the mid-90s and shortly thereafter had to be closed due to poor condition. The renovation was completed in 2002, with total costs amounting to 35 million crowns, according to the Náchod KČT.