Karlstejn, Central Bohemia, April 23 (CTK) – The medieval Karlstejn Castle will be restored for 95 million crowns, 85 percent of which will be covered by an EU subsidy, National Heritage Institute director Nadezda Goryczkova said during the official launch of the project on Monday.
Within the project, the Imperial Palace and the Castle Burgrave will be reconstructed. Besides, new display rooms and a modern visitors’ centre will be built.
The castle will remain open to the public during the reconstruction. However, some parts may be temporarily closed, Goryczkova said.
Though the majestic silhouette of the castle makes an impression of stability, the heritage sight suffers from hidden problems as well as the high number of visitors. This is why the common maintenance does not suffice and more thorough repair works are needed, Goryczkova said.
The aim of the project entitled “Karlstejn – Jewel of the Czech Land” is the renewal of the premises that are in the state of dilapidation, such as the ground-floor, basement and cellar of the Imperial Place, the arcade annex, a cellar in the rock and the eastern part of the burgrave where the visitors’ centre will be built.
Moreover, the vegetable garden in the southern area between two defensive walls and the engineering networks must be renovated.
The new expositions will present the construction development of the castle, stone-cutting, carpenter’s and joiner’s elements as well as the Karlstejn wine making, NPU regional heritage administration section head Dusan Michelfeit said.
Moreover, a small cinema for some 20 people will opened at the castle.
The culture and regional development ministers, Ilja Smid and Klara Dostalova, launched the project in Karlstejn on Monday.
Karlstejn was visited by 268,000 people in 2016, within the celebrations of the 700th birth anniversary of its founder Charles IV, King of Bohemia in 1346-78 and Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire from 1355, Dostalova said, adding that she expected the attendance to further rise thanks to the planned reconstruction.
The Gothic Karlstejn Castle, founded by Charles IV in 1348 and it completed in 1365, was to serve as a shrine for holy relics and the imperial coronation jewels.
It is one of the most popular heritage sights in the country. Last year, it welcomed some 230,000 visitors.
