The castle in Moravský Krumlov was acquired by the city today for 14 million CZK

Moravský Krumlov (Znojmo Region) - The castle in Moravský Krumlov, where Mucha's Slav Epic was previously exhibited, has been acquired by the city through electronic auction. They offered the starting price of 14 million crowns, and no one else wanted the castle. This follows from the auction website. The city has had a long-term interest in buying the castle and having exhibitions dedicated to art.

The building is partially renovated, and after completing the reconstruction, the representatives of Krumlov would like to negotiate with Prague to return Mucha's work to the castle.

Some time ago, the Municipal Court in Prague decided that the castle would go to electronic auction, thus complying with the request for a preliminary injunction from the judicial executor Jiří Prošek.

The mayor of the city, Tomáš Třetina (TOP 09), told ČTK today that the next steps are up to the executor. "The simpler part is done, now the more complicated part has to start, which is to renovate the castle. Today we took responsibility for the fate of the castle," Třetina stated. According to him, the price is favorable, especially since no one else was interested in the castle. The amount of 14 million, for which the castle was auctioned, is about a tenth of the city’s annual budget. The town hall intends to use the castle as a gallery and will apply for subsidies for its repairs.

Mucha's Slav Epic, which Moravský Krumlov would like to return to the castle, is a collection of 23 paintings. The Slav Epic is owned by the capital city, where the collection is currently exhibited. For more than half a century, it was presented precisely in the Krumlov castle.

The current owner of the castle is the company Reality MK, which has million-dollar debts and is facing an insolvency proposal. The sale of the castle is intended to partially satisfy the creditors, which include the parent company Incheba and the jewelry company Pretis from Nové Město nad Metují.