In Frýdek-Místek, a two-year reconstruction of the basilica has begun

Frýdek-Místek - A two-year reconstruction of the Basilica of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary has begun in Frýdek-Místek, costing nearly 50 million crowns. The revitalization will affect the entire interior of the church, where plaster, electrical installations, and the organ will be repaired, for example. A significant part will be the complete reconstruction of the crypt, which will be permanently accessible to visitors after completion. The basilica is closing for almost two years and is set to reopen on May 1, 2026. Miroslav Přikryl, head of the department for grant projects and church tourism of the Diocese of Ostrava-Opava, said this to journalists today.

"A completely new painting of the basilica will be carried out, changing the color scheme from the current yellow-white combination to old pink, gray, and white combined with gilding. The colonnades of the balcony and Corinthian capitals will be restored. The organ will also be restored, as it has issues with air management. The Chapel of the Holy Cross will be repaired, including the restoration of the altar," said Přikryl.

A kind of reception for guides and a new entrance building to the crypt will be created in the basilica. The underground will be modified according to the design of the native of Frýdek-Místek, architect Marek Štěpán. "The concrete flooring will be removed, crumbling bricks forming the vaults in the crypt will be repaired, glass partitions that hinder air movement and ventilation will be removed, and the remains stored in the crypt will be treated," said Přikryl.

The crypt of the Frýdek basilica holds the remains of priests and nobles from the Pražm family, as well as pilgrims who drowned in the swollen Ostravice River in 1750. Thanks to the reconstruction, the original ventilation system will be restored to ensure stable climatic conditions in the crypt. The remains will be stored more respectfully than before.

Approximately 34 million crowns in European subsidies will be contributed to the repair of the basilica, the Moravian-Silesian region will contribute five million, and the city of Frýdek-Místek four million crowns. The remaining 5.6 million crowns is expected to be raised by the parish through a public collection.

During the summer, residents of the city will gain a completely new perspective on the basilica. Marlenka international, which purchased the site of the former Lemberger factory last year, will have the chimney demolished, which obstructs the view of the church from Místek.

"The industrial chimney, which was built in the 1970s in the former Slezan factories on Hálková Street, was constructed to actually overshadow the city's landmark, to obscure the basilica from the approach from Ostrava and Olomouc via the original access roads," said Petr Korč, the mayor of Frýdek-Místek (Our City F-M). After the chimney is demolished, the city will regain its natural panorama, and the basilica will once again become its dominant feature.

Marlenka's owner, Gevorg Avetisjan, said that the chimney would be demolished gradually. Demolition will begin on August 21 and should last no more than two weeks. It will cost nearly three million crowns.

The Frýdek Basilica of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary is the most significant pilgrimage site in the Czech part of Silesia. It owes this to the statue of the Virgin Mary, which, according to legend, was found there by workers digging for clay in the mid-17th century. According to other sources, however, it was commissioned by Count František Eusebius of Oppersdorf.

The statue became the object of a Marian cult. In 1706, a wooden chapel was built for it, which soon became insufficient for the influx of pilgrims, and thus a grand church was built in its place, which was consecrated on May 13, 1759. However, it was not fully completed until 1777. The church complex is complemented by a Stations of the Cross in the form of 14 chapels arranged in the shape of a wide horseshoe. In August 1999, Pope John Paul II elevated the church to a minor basilica. Since 2018, the complex has been a national cultural monument.