The construction of the new Petrova bouda is ending, it will open for the New Year 2020

Špindlerův Mlýn (Trutnovsko) – The construction of the new Petrova bouda in the Krkonoš Mountains, which arose at the site of the original building that burned down eight years ago, is nearing completion. Workers are working inside and also finishing adjustments to the surrounding area. The contractor will hand over the building in the second half of August, said Martin Havlík from Snowy Chalet, which is the investor of the construction. They want to open "Petrovka" for the New Year 2020. The original Petrova bouda was destroyed by fire on August 1, 2011. The construction of the new Petrova bouda at an altitude of 1,288 meters, which consists of two buildings, began in May 2016.

According to Havlík, the structural and technological parts of all Petrova bouda buildings are completed, with only the interior finishing and equipping with technology and furniture remaining. "Trial operation has not yet begun, the technological handover of Petrovka has not occurred, and the building is not fully completed," Havlík told ČTK.

The new Petrova bouda consists of two separate buildings, the main building A with a restaurant, accommodation, and a wellness area in the basement, along with technical facilities and storage, and the smaller building B. "The original capacity of Petrova bouda was 180 people, the current planned capacity is 70 people," Havlík stated. The total costs for the construction, including equipping, are around 120 million crowns.

The main building was created under the supervision of conservationists because it was designed as an extension and addition to the remaining part of the original Petrova bouda from 1887, which is a protected monument. In the form known to visitors of the Krkonoš Mountains before the fire, it existed for over a hundred years. Only part of the outer walls and the transformer station from Petrova bouda were saved. Since 2008, the deteriorating building has been closed to tourists.

"The requirements (of the conservationists) influenced it, but not too much. Everything that made sense we were glad to do according to their wishes, where the proposals were beyond good construction practice, we managed to agree quite easily and quickly. We cannot retreat from nature on the ridges of the mountains," Havlík noted.

Petrova bouda is being built in the highest parts of the Krkonoš Mountains, and according to the investor, the new building has stood the test in extreme conditions. Even the last winter, rich in snow, did not cause significant problems. "Petrovka performed very well, especially regarding the thermal comfort of the building, as it is designed and built according to currently available technological possibilities. No major problems were identified, only those related to several storms that occurred in this area," Havlík told ČTK.

According to him, it was not easy to reconcile the requirements for the resilience of the building with the demands of conservationists, the functional requirements, sensitivity to nature, and also the final appearance. "That is not an easy task. There were a number of challenging steps during construction. The roof was definitely the most demanding part. Petrovka experiences winds up to 200 kilometers per hour. The roof must be really robust and solidly built," Havlík stated.

The cause of the fire eight years ago has still not been clarified. According to firefighters, someone set the fire deliberately, but the police did not identify the perpetrator, and the case was closed.