České Budějovice are preparing a reconstruction of the crematorium at the St. Ottilie cemetery

České Budějovice - České Budějovice are preparing the reconstruction of the crematorium at the cemetery of Saint Ottilie. The modernization will primarily concern the internal spaces of the mourning hall. This was decided today by the city councilors of České Budějovice, said the deputy mayor Petr Maroš (ODS) to ČTK.

"We want the spaces where the last farewell takes place to be more dignified. The current form of the hall is outdated, and a large part of the interior is also worn out. For example, the chairs on which the mourners and other guests sit during the funeral are already in very poor condition," said Maroš.

The current crematorium was established in the late 1970s. The ceremonial hall has a capacity of 50 seated guests. České Budějovice modernized the crematorium complex in 2011. However, that project concerned the restoration of the technical facilities, including a new cremation oven. "The reconstruction of the internal spaces is already inevitable, and I believe that afterward, it will offer a more welcoming environment for the mourners. The acoustics within the mourning hall are also poor, which would improve after the modernization," said Maroš.

The cemetery of Saint Ottilie is located near the Prague Boulevard close to the exit from the city to Tábor. Its construction began 138 years ago and was completed a year later when operations in the area began. The funeral office in České Budějovice also operates cemeteries in the district of Mladé and in the city exclave of Třebotovice.