Cheb will soon begin repairing the city library damaged by fire

Cheb - The city of Cheb will soon begin repairs on the municipal library, which was damaged by a fire in 2022. It has already selected a contractor for the reconstruction, which will cost approximately 18 million Czech crowns. It is expected to take about a year, said Cheb Deputy Mayor Pavel Pagáč (VOK) to ČTK.

"We are on the verge of signing a contract with the contractor for the reconstruction of the municipal library. Finally, we have received the construction permit and selected a contractor. We should immediately hand over the construction site, and the expected completion of the work should be one year from the handover of the site,” Pagáč clarified.

According to him, the library building was outdated and had long failed to meet new trends in librarianship as well as fire safety standards. "That is why the fire that occurred there years ago caused such damage,” said Pagáč. The reconstruction project for the building from the early 20th century also includes remedies for the unkind construction modifications from the 1960s, when builders poured concrete into the ceiling. This should be demolished to restore the library to its original form, Pagáč described the construction modifications.

The Cheb library was built as the second public library in the Czech Lands between 1909 and 1910. It was established thanks to the generous legacy of Cheb native Dominik Kreuzinger. The pseudobaroque two-story building features Art Nouveau decor and is topped with a tin mansard roof. The architectural design of the façade is treated differently on each side of the building.

In the reconstructed building, the internal layout of the library will change, including an atrium, and there should be spaces for seating and gatherings, as well as for events that the library regularly organizes. In addition, the city will build an external elevator in the historic building to make it accessible to people with disabilities.

In addition to the construction modifications, the city will also need to purchase internal furnishings costing approximately ten million crowns. However, Cheb intends to apply for a subsidy for this investment, the deputy mayor added.