In the co-cathedral in Opava, a extensive renovation has been completed

Opava – The extensive two-year renovation of the Co-Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Opava has been completed. This was the most significant overall restoration since the repairs following World War II and also the most financially demanding reconstruction in the twenty-five-year history of the Ostrava-Opava diocese. The total costs were 78 million crowns, and a large part was covered by European grants. Miroslav Přikryl, the head of the department of grant projects and church tourism of the diocese, shared this information with journalists today.

The repairs to the roofs from previous years were followed by repairs to nearly all other structures of the church. "The entire outer shell of the co-cathedral underwent complete restoration, including the grouting of brick masonry, repairs of plaster, restoration of windows, and renovation of stone and locksmith components of the outer shell. The surrounding area of the church has also been improved, and the rainwater drainage system has been restored. The construction and restoration work also involved the interior of the church. A complete replacement of the outdated electrical installation was carried out, the church received new interior lighting, and wooden, stone, and locksmith elements were restored,” said the spokesperson of the diocese, Pavel Siuda. He added that the church was also repainted and the colors were restored as demonstrated by restoration surveys.

The renovations of the co-cathedral, which is the second most significant church in the diocese, revealed several discoveries. During the archaeological survey around the church, an old tombstone with the emblem of German knights was unearthed, along with several fragments of Gothic ribbed vaults. Visitors will be able to see the co-cathedral already on Friday during the Night of Churches, when at 5:00 PM, 7:00 PM, and 9:00 PM, they can also participate in guided tours. This year, the co-cathedral will also be open as part of the Open Churches project, which aims to make significant church monuments in the region accessible to the public. The official opening will take place in June, and regular masses will resume in the co-cathedral afterwards.

In addition to the co-cathedral, other significant churches in the diocese have also been renovated. The Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary in Staré Město near Bruntál has been restored. The costs for the restoration, renovation, and archaeological research amounted to 17.2 million crowns. "Thanks to the preservation of parts of the church from three significant historical periods, everyone visiting this church can experience something like time travel. Upon entering through the Romanesque portal, one can absorb the atmosphere of the 13th century. Once the visitor passes through the main entrance with the Romanesque portal, they suddenly find themselves 700 years later in a space that has been preserved almost unchanged as known by the villagers in the period after World War II. Entering the sacristy, the visitor is once again transported back in time to several centuries in the Gothic phase of the church from the second half of the 14th century,” explained Siuda. He added that all three historical forms of the church are documented in the installed exhibition, and a three-dimensional model of the Romanesque form of the church from the first half of the 13th century can also be found in a showcase under the church's choir.

The Church of the Most Holy Trinity in Fulnek in the Nový Jičín region has also undergone extensive repairs. The two-year renovation cost 69 million crowns. Among the findings during the repairs were remnants of a wall painting depicting the Calvary and also the coats of arms of the donors of the monastery's construction. "Those who knew the Fulnek church before will probably notice the change in the color of the facade, which has been redone according to the preserved remnants of older color layers on the facade,” Siuda added.