<h1>Storm Damaged UNESCO Site in Žďár, Damage in Millions</h1>

Žďár nad Sázavou - The storm that accompanied Wednesday's thunderstorm tore off approximately one-fifth of the copper sheet roofing, including the cladding from the pilgrimage church of St. John of Nepomuk on Zelená Hora in Žďár nad Sázavou. The fallen roofing from the UNESCO-listed monument damaged the church's cloister and about 40 adjacent graves, and the wind also broke several trees around the church.
    "It will depend on the structural engineer's assessment whether the truss has also been damaged; I estimate the damage in the millions of crowns," said Libor Karásek, director of the regional office of the National Heritage Institute in Telč, to ČTK today.
    Firefighters covered the roof with tarpaulins during the intervention on Wednesday evening, and work on temporary cover with cladding is expected to begin today. "Further steps will depend on the structural engineer. Then we will determine the options for technical securing and find a company that will be able to start the repairs as soon as possible," said Karásek.
    Today the cemetery will be closed to the public, with access only for the owners of graves. According to Karásek, the church will remain accessible to visitors continuously, albeit with certain restrictions, even during the repairs. "The movement of visitors will be regulated for their safety," Karásek said.
    The church of St. John of Nepomuk on Zelená Hora is one of the peak works of architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichl. The foundation stone was laid in 1720, and the church was consecrated two years later. The church has a five-pointed star floor plan, which appears in various forms in the exterior and interior of the pilgrimage complex in the spirit of intricate St. John's symbolism. In its time, it represented a timeless work with refined lighting direction.
    Žďár became a focal point of Santini's work. However, his buildings can be found in numerous locations. Notably, his Baroque Gothic reconstruction of the monastery church in Sedlec, the pilgrimage church in Křtiny near Brno, and the Benedictine monastery church in Kladruby near Stříbro are well-known.