Buštěhrad Castle is not yet fully restored, the city is looking for a suitable grant

Buštěhrad - The Buštěhrad Castle is not yet fully restored; the city is looking for a suitable grant. There are not enough grant calls for more extensive renovations of monuments; one option is also grants for educational facilities. Recently, the city received a subsidy from the Central Bohemian Region for a smaller exploration and adjustments to one part of the castle, Buštěhrad's mayor Daniela Javorčeková reported in response to a query from ČTK.

"Next year, some surveys and minor construction work will be carried out above the information center in the room where wall paintings were found,” Javorčeková said.

A large part of the castle's premises has already been restored, but the eastern wing is still awaiting reconstruction. Buštěhrad had planned, among other things, a branch of a practical school and a pedagogical-psychological counseling center here, but even in this case, the request for a grant was unsuccessful. The western wing houses the Buštěhrad City Hall, and the castle premises also serve as an information center, and there are offices as well.

In 2017, the Central Bohemian Region returned to the city, free of charge, part of the property that the city transferred to it in 2010. Thus, the entire castle has belonged to Buštěhrad for almost five years.

The Baroque castle with a neoclassical chapel is the most significant monument in Buštěhrad. According to earlier plans, it was to become a representative regional residence, which ultimately did not come to fruition. The object is known from the corruption case of former governor David Rath (formerly of the Czech Social Democratic Party). The High Court found him guilty in cases of influencing tenders for the reconstruction of Buštěhrad Castle and the gymnasium building in Hostivice. In this so-called first branch of the case, Rath received a seven-year prison sentence and a ten-million koruna monetary penalty and a ban on activity, for facilitating an advantage in assigning a public contract and damaging the financial interests of the EU.

The Regional Court in Brno ruled last November on Rath's conditional release from prison with a probation period of seven years and also on the supervision of the probation and mediation service. However, Rath has not yet been released; the state prosecutor filed a complaint against the decision, so it is not final. The matter will be discussed by the Brno Regional Court.