In Bečov, the summer residence of the Countess has been opened to the public after years

Bečov nad Teplou (Karlovy Vary) - The summer residence of the Countess opened to the public for the first time in years in Bečov nad Teplou. On the occasion of the Night of Churches, visitors were able to view the private chapel of Eleonora Beaufort-Spontin as well as other spaces in the building, which its managers are trying to restore. In the coming years, Komtesa could again serve as accommodation, said the property's manager Alena Švehlová to ČTK.

"For the first time in several years, Komtesa is accessible again. So it's still in a ... raw state, as reconstruction is ongoing. The building is currently in very poor condition, but we hope that will change soon," said Švehlová.

The repair of the summer residence of Komtesa will now continue with the reconstruction of the first floor, which could be opened to visitors as early as next year. "In the future, we would like Komtesa to serve its original purpose again - that is, as a recreational facility," Švehlová added.

The summer residence of Komtesa was built in 1928 in the style of alpine architecture. In the 1950s, the building burned down, and after its reconstruction in 1975, it was used as a recreational center for children's camps. However, in recent years, the building has not been maintained and has fallen into disrepair; a group of volunteers began working on its rescue in 2014.

Bečov nad Teplou participated in the Night of Churches for the first time this year. In addition to the chapel at Komtesa, visitors could also visit St. George's Church as well as the castle chapel of St. Peter or the normally inaccessible castle chapel of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary. It was in the castle chapel that the last owners of the castle hid the precious reliquary of St. Maurus after World War II.