Budějovice and Krumlov support the lightweight construction of a turntable in the park

ČESKÉ BUDĚJOVICE/ČESKÝ KRUMLOV - The revolving auditorium should, according to representatives of the towns of Český Krumlov and České Budějovice, remain in its current location, namely in the castle park in Český Krumlov. A conciliatory step towards the conservationists, who reject the current revolving stage in the park, is a new construction that would serve for about 3.5 months a year and would be removed off-season.
The authors of the concept for the new revolving auditorium presented a study to journalists today, which is supported by both towns. In its optimal variant, the project would require 18.7 million crowns. "We want to remove what is the biggest dispute, namely the above-ground part of the giant grandstand, which currently stands there permanently - regardless of whether performances are taking place or not," said one of the authors of the new concept, Martin Augustin, to journalists today.
Instead, a modular stand will be created, which can be folded down outside of performances so as not to obstruct views in the garden. After the theater season ends, it will be dismantled and removed, leaving only a platform with garden landscaping.
The auditorium will be mounted on a hidden rotating mechanism, for which the creators of the study intend to use the current mechanism and create a foundation for park landscaping outside the performance season, such as grass and flower beds with paths. "Visitors will perceive this space as a natural part of the park," added Augustin. The capacity of the stand will be reduced from the current 650 seats to 500 to maintain the economic viability of the entire theater operation and simultaneously reduce the risk of abrupt overload on the garden.
For the preservation of the revolving auditorium in the Český Krumlov castle park is the Minister of Culture Vítězslav Jandák. He promised that he would extend the deadline for the removal of the stage, to which České Budějovice, as the owner, committed, until 2008. Now, the mayor of České Budějovice, who owns the stage, and the mayor of Český Krumlov are preparing to meet with the minister with the new concept of the stage.
"We will prepare the conditions to which the South Bohemian Theater will also respond. The city must sign a contract with the National Heritage Institute. A necessary condition is that no above-standard obstacles for the operation of cultural performances will be placed in the garden," said the mayor of Český Krumlov, František Mikeš, according to whom the conditions for the operation of the theater in the park are constantly being tightened by the conservationists.
The Český Krumlov stage is located in the Baroque garden, which, together with Český Krumlov, is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The World Heritage Committee, which deals with UNESCO heritage sites, recommended that the Czech Republic remove the stage from the garden. However, this position dates back to July, and the committee is unaware of the new proposal for a demountable stage that Jandák now intends to present.
The administrator of the State Castle and Chateau Český Krumlov, Pavel Slavko, told ČTK today that the heritage institute does not yet have this study available, so it cannot comment on it. So far, Slavko has only scant information, according to which he cannot imagine what the lightweight construction addresses and how it will be disassembled, whether it will be removed by heavy vehicles, which poses a risk of further damage to the park.
"Is the point to replace the current revolving auditorium with something presumably more aesthetic but having the same problem - during the growing season of the garden, there will be an auditorium there instead of a garden, and in winter, when the garden is closed and the public cannot enter, will the structure be removed?" he stated. The conservationists, who do not want the stage in the park, argue mainly that due to the operation of the auditorium, trees and shrubs in the surrounding area are gradually drying out, hundreds of spectators are damaging the paths, and further damage occurs.