The UNESCO listing helped to enhance the monuments in Kroměříž

Kroměříž - The inscription of the Archbishop's Castle and Gardens in Kroměříž on the UNESCO World Heritage List, from which 15 years will have passed on Monday, has helped to enhance the monuments. Thanks to it, European and state funds were brought to Kroměříž for the restoration of the Podzámecká and especially the Květná Garden. "We are now prepared and educated to take our monuments to the world," said curator Martin Krčma to ČTK.
    The UNESCO listing was preceded by several years of effort from the city, the castle administration, and other individuals who sought this privilege. Thanks to them, the facade and surrounding areas of the castle as well as many smaller monuments in the gardens were repaired. "After the listing, we began to look around the world and at other UNESCO sites. We realized that the Kroměříž monuments are unique, but we also recognized our handicaps," Krčma said.
    According to him, the presentation of the monuments and local collections was outdated. Historical sources prove that the monuments received major investments every 50 years or so. "The last such intervention was in the 1960s. Then there is a debt in tourist infrastructure, the removal of which is beyond our power. Much has been achieved, such as bringing the highway to Kroměříž, which we must learn to exploit. There is still a significant debt in that we have not succeeded in convincing the broader regional community that tourism is an industry with great prospects," added the curator.
    After the UNESCO listing, interest from tourists in Kroměříž increased. At the moment when they were not satisfied with the service offerings, interest waned. However, according to the curator, the castle and gardens maintain stable visitor numbers. "This year we sold around 110,000 tickets. We must also add the Podzámecká Garden, which is freely accessible. In previous years, we estimated its attendance at 300,000 to 400,000 people. This year, local residents claim that they do not remember such enormous attendance; we dare to speak of up to half a million visitors," Krčma added.
    Next year will be significant for Kroměříž's monuments as it will see the completion of the National Center of Garden Culture project, supported by European funds, with a grant of nearly 337 million crowns.
    The main part of the work concerns the Květná Garden. A new production greenhouse has been built, and the building providing facilities for gardeners has been renovated. Workers are currently focusing on the garden's entrance facility and both historical greenhouses. Groundwork has also begun, which will result in the renewal of the Rabbit Hill, Bird Aviary, and Dutch and Orange Gardens. The National Center of Garden Culture in the Květná Garden will open with a baroque festival in September.
    Almost completed are the works in the Podzámecká Garden, where a new horticultural facility has been built, bridges are being repaired, and next year technology for composting is expected to be acquired. The castle has a modern visitor center with an introductory exhibition. The second floor of the castle has seen the establishment of the Music Cabinet and the Cabinet of Garden Culture. According to Krčma, similar access to other castle collections, starting with the numismatic collection, should be provided in the next two years.

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The Gardens and Castle in Kroměříž

The Květná Garden, which was created between 1665 and 1675, was inscribed alongside the Archbishop's Castle and the Podzámecká Garden. The unique architectural shape of the Květná Garden was developed on swampy land along with the archbishop's mint immediately after the end of the Thirty Years' War. The Archbishop's Castle then evolved from a Great Moravian fortification through gradual reconstructions into today's appearance of an Italian-style baroque palace, which functions as an artistic and historical treasury in addition to its residential and economic functions.
    Last autumn, the restoration of the endangered Květná Garden began, costing 230 million crowns. This is the most important construction phase of the National Center of Garden Culture project in Kroměříž, which also includes the establishment of a multidisciplinary center for the restoration and care of historical gardens. The National Heritage Institute received a grant from the EU's Integrated Operational Program of nearly 337 million crowns for the project. The project is expected to be completed in December 2014.