Zlín City Hall asks citizens about the restoration of the castle in the city center

source: zlin.cz

Zlín - The residents of Zlín can express their opinions in a survey organized by the town hall regarding the proposed design for the renovation of the local castle. CTK was informed today by the town hall spokesperson Zdeněk Dvořák. The study by architect Pavel Míček was presented last year by the nonprofit organization Zlínský zámek, which rents the building from the city and is working to revitalize and restore it. The most striking intervention in the study is the placement of a modern extension that will replace the current roof of the castle. Some people on social media have voiced their opposition to the proposed form of revitalization, and conservationists also disagree, considering some interventions in the castle unacceptable.
    "The castle will serve the public, so their opinion is very important. That is why we are asking for their feedback through the magazine," said Mayor Miroslav Adámek (STAN). People can fill out a ballot in the city magazine or vote on the city's website. "The results of the voting will be published in the April issue of the magazine and submitted to Zlínský zámek," Dvořák noted.
    According to the study, a lift shaft would be added to the castle, and the appearance of the courtyard would also change. Representatives of the association are aware that the reconstruction of the castle's roof, in particular, will provoke reactions. "We realize that this part of the proposed architectural solution will be surprising and unconventional for many," said association representative Čestmír Vančura.
    Míček justifies his interventions with the gradual development of the building. "The monument did not originate (the monument, ed. note) in one specific epoch, but from the original fortress, and it has been continuously expanded into its current form. This ongoing expansion, which took place over 500 years, is a key motivation for further work on this building. It continues what has been happening here for 500 years," Míček previously told CTK. His proposal includes a modern urban museum focusing on architecture, a ceremony hall, studios for designers and other creative artists, a hotel, a restaurant, and a café.
    However, conservationists point out that the proposal was not consulted with them during its preparation and it makes significant interventions into the monument. According to them, the castle is a valuable document of a noble residence that has been architecturally shaped from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. "Today, the castle represents the oldest structure preserved in the center of Zlín, a long-term and significant center around which the city has developed for nearly 500 years," said Anna Slezáková from the Kroměříž office of the National Heritage Institute.
    The building was closed to the public for a year; two years ago, the museum and regional gallery moved to the new Baťa Institute. The city then sought a use for the building. It was rented to the company Zlínský zámek, which opened a gallery there. People expressed their opinions on the future of the castle as early as 2011, wanting it to include exhibition spaces, a ceremony hall, and a restaurant.