In Žďár nad Sázavou, the repairs of two church monuments are reaching completion

Žďár nad Sázavou - In Žďár nad Sázavou, the restoration of two significant church monuments is nearing completion - the Church of St. John of Nepomuk on Zelená Hora and the convent church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in the castle complex. Scaffolding should be removed from the interior of the first one by the end of March, and construction in the second one will begin after April 13. The Marian church will be completely closed for about three months, and services will most likely be held at Zelená Hora, said Deputy Mayor Dagmar Zvěřinová to ČTK.
"The deadline for dismantling the scaffolding is by the end of March; all potential defects in the craft works must be removed by then," said the caretaker of the monument, which was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994, Karel Straka. Before the scaffolding disappears, the dominant symbol of the church - the wooden relief of the tongue of St. John of Nepomuk - will be returned to the vault. The discovery of the supposed tongue of John became a decisive impulse for the construction of the church during the abbacy of Václav Vejmluva.
The restoration of its interiors began in 2002 after the state invested about 60 million crowns in the rescue of the surrounding ambits. Craftsmen in the church repaired the historical flooring, renovated doors, and restored the trusses and stucco decorations. While in 2006 the state allocated just under a million for the repairs, last year, thanks to a parliamentary intervention, ten times that amount was allocated for the monument's restoration. This year, the Heritage Institute does not yet know how much money it will receive for repairs. Restoration of the interior furnishings will need to continue.
Since the beginning of this year's tourist season, according to Deputy Mayor Zvěřinová, the church should be illuminated from the inside through the windows. The town also wants to obtain European funds to complete the adjustments to the surrounding greenery.
In the convent church, now parish church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in the castle complex, according to priest Vladimír Záleský, the last mass will be held on April 13 and then scaffolding will be erected. The main nave is awaiting painting. The restoration of the church began in 2004 when the state returned it along with the parish to the church after 50 years. The church is returning to the Baroque form it was given in 1712 by the builder Jan Blažej Santini-Aichl. Last year, a unique 14th-century wall painting depicting the founding act of the monastery was discovered during the repairs in the presbytery. Visitors will be able to view it no earlier than in July.

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