Kuks is preparing the renovation of the cascading staircase and the restoration of the former castle gardens

kuks

Kuks - The village of Kuks is planning to repair the cascading staircase and restore the adjacent former castle garden. The total costs should not exceed 35 million crowns, said the mayor of the village with 260 inhabitants, Jiří Beran (independent), to ČTK today. The village aims to cover most of the costs from European grants. If the grant is obtained, construction work could start in the autumn of 2026. The monument-protected staircase with Triton sculptures from the first half of the 18th century and the former terraced gardens of the demolished Kuks castle are located opposite the Baroque hospital. It is the largest project in the village in the last ten years.

"The revitalization of the castle gardens and the adjacent cascading staircase is part of the Czech-Polish project 'Baroque Path'. Together with our Polish partners, we are applying for funding for this project from the Czech-Polish European program Interreg. If we succeed with our grant application, we would like to start work in October 2026 so that it would be completed by the latest in October 2028. We will know if we succeed in January," Beran told ČTK.

The neglected terraces that used to be castle gardens are to the left of the staircase when looking at the hospital. It will be necessary to repair the stone boundary walls on the terraces, some of which are collapsed. The areas will be planted with greenery including old varieties of fruit trees, and pathways and benches will be added. "A park covering almost one hectare should be created in a similar spirit as the castle gardens at Prague Castle," Beran told ČTK.

The village already has the project documentation for the restoration of the castle gardens and the renovation of the cascading staircase completed. Hundreds of thousands of tourists walk along the staircase each year.

Kuks is primarily known for the Baroque hospital, which underwent an expensive reconstruction nearly 440 million crowns ten years ago. The hospital, managed by the National Heritage Institute in Sychrov, is among the most visited state monuments in the Hradec Králové region. It is located on the right bank of the Elbe River. On the left bank stood the castle and spa buildings, which together with the hospital formed one whole.

The Baroque complex in the Elbe valley at Kuks was started by František Antonín Špork in 1692. The construction activity peaked around 1710. Only the hospital with the Church of the Holy Trinity and the crypt has survived from the original large spa area. The castle and nearly all buildings were lost to floods and fires. The world-renowned sculptural decoration of the area is by Matyáš Bernard Braun. Braun's nativity scene in the nearby Nový Les is also associated with the Baroque complex. The nativity scene is a group of sculptures and reliefs carved by Braun into the rock and integrated into the landscape.

On the left bank, the first officially recognized vineyard in the Hradec Králové region was planted 20 years ago, where around 2500 Burgundy variety bushes grow. Each year in September, a vintage festival is held in Kuks. Winemaking at Kuks continues the legacy of Count Špork, who established one of the cultural centers there 300 years ago, where wine was very popular.