Pavilion for Reiner's fresco at Duchcov Castle

Reiner's Fresco in Duchcov
The castle in the northern Bohemian town of Duchcov has a very remarkable past and equally interesting present. Originally a Baroque structure, which has stood on the southwestern edge of the town since 1685, it is also known for the unique fresco by Václav Vavřinec Reiner – one of the most significant artists of Czech Baroque.
Although his entire life is connected with Prague's Old Town, where he was born, worked, and is also buried, Václav Vavřinec Reiner left his mark in other places as well. One of his favorite destinations became Duchcov, where he secured one of the largest commissions of his career: decorating the castle's main hall with portraits of members of the Valdštejn family (they owned the castle for many years until they sold it to the state in 1921). However, the master's work in the castle did not end there. In the area of the castle garden once stood a hospital, whose walls remained bare for a long time. In 1728, however, the castle administrators approached the famous Reiner, and he took on his task with great responsibility: he adorned the local ceiling with an extraordinarily successful fresco of the Holy Trinity.

A Challenging Experiment Succeeded
Until 1959, the fresco remained undisturbed and continued to attract visitors even after the hospital ceased to serve its original purpose and the castle transitioned from the hands of its original owners to the administration of Czechoslovakia. However, the communist regime then decided to demolish the now "unnecessary" building due to mining plans, and naturally, the famous decorated ceiling was also to be taken down. It is only surprising that it ultimately escaped such a fate.
Thanks to preservationists and enthusiasts, a unique solution was achieved: restorers carefully removed the entire fresco and relocated it to a newly constructed building on the church grounds, which was built specifically for that purpose. It goes without saying that relocating a fresco measuring 270 square meters posed an extremely challenging task. Although the removal was successful, there was no immediate transport to the new location, and the fresco remained resting in four provisional wooden boxes for the next twenty-five years. A total of 549 variously sized pieces were chemically stabilized, and no one touched them until 1980. Thus, their surprise was even greater when they eventually opened the sealed containers and found, to their great joy, that the precious fresco remained undamaged. The subsequent installation on the ceiling of the garden pavilion was, according to the current castle custodian Marian Hochel, like putting together a puzzle. Today's visitors to the castle can come and see the result for themselves.

The Fight for the Fresco Is Not Over
However, they should hurry. The conditions in which the fresco currently resides are unsuitable, and the centuries-old monument is facing rapid decay. The pavilion lacks optimal air conditioning, and adverse weather conditions, especially humidity, negatively affect the quality of the depiction. Water vapor easily condenses on the fresco, gradually washing away the painting. Once the environment is stabilized, it will be possible to restore the rare work and thus preserve its legacy for future generations. However, all efforts are currently stalled due to a lack of financial resources and the significant intervention that acquiring ventilation would entail. According to the custodian, it would also bring with it unpleasant noise disturbing visitors, not to mention the number of unsightly pipes.