Ten years since the registration of Litomyšl Castle on the UNESCO list

Litomyšl (Svitavsko) - The restoration of figurative sgraffito, the castle garden, and the second floor of the building, which would then be accessible to the public, is being prepared by the Litomyšl Castle, which will celebrate the tenth anniversary of its entry on the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List in December. However, experts are mainly waiting for the approval of a grant of 600 million crowns, which they want to obtain from EU funds for the restoration of the castle and the modification of the surrounding hill.
    The city is anxiously waiting to see if the project named "Castle Hill" will be successful at the Ministry of Culture, which redistributes European funds. The city hall is requesting 400 million, and the National Heritage Institute another 200 million crowns. The project has thus far been accompanied by delays and disagreements between the city and heritage officials, which postponed the application submission by several months. "There were bureaucratic problems of a significant nature. It was stressful. In my opinion, it could have been done more simply; the project could have been submitted at once, not in two stages, but the officials think differently," said former Litomyšl mayor Miroslav Brýdl.
    With the 400 million crowns, the city plans to revitalize the castle hill. Builders will restore the riding hall, the castle brewery, the carriage house, the Piarist church, and the college or upper courtyard. The second floor of the castle should serve as rehearsal rooms and studios for musicians, artists, and theater-makers after reconstruction. A gallery will also be created on the floor, and the castle administrators could place a rare collection of pianos there, which has been loaned by the National Museum in Prague. A multipurpose hall is to be created from the riding hall, and the Diocesan Museum is to be established in the church's sacristy. The renovation of the Regional Museum will follow on from Castle Hill.
    Another project costing approximately 85 million crowns is being prepared by the Pardubice Region, which could submit an application by mid-January. After the renovations, the facility will offer a children's museum, an educational center, a museum club, and a reading room or café, said museum director Roman Košek to ČTK.
    "The museum will no longer be static, where there will be only display cases and nothing more. There will be space for accompanying programs, and exhibitions will be more interactive. The museum will become a modern institution," said Košek.
    The tenth anniversary of the entry on the UNESCO list will be commemorated by the monument with lectures and discussions. "On the first Advent Sunday, there will be a presentation of the book '750 Years of Litomyšl' and a discussion on ten years in UNESCO. From December 1 to 4, lectures on the castle will take place. The themes will include salons and treasures, theater, figurative sgraffito decoration, and Jan from Pernštejn and his life story," said Litomyšl spokesperson Michaela Severová.
    The entry on the UNESCO list attracted foreign tourists to the city and is advantageous when submitting applications for European grants, said Deputy Mayor Jan Janeček. "Being on the list brings popularity and greater demand from tourists. However, awareness does not come overnight; it must be accompanied by services," he stated.
    Litomyšl Castle was added to the UNESCO list on December 1, 1999. It was built between 1568 and 1581 by Vratislav of Pernštejn. The commission then assessed that the architecture and decoration of the castle is unique, including Baroque elements added in the 18th century.
    In the Czech Republic, there are 12 heritage sites on the UNESCO list, such as the Tugendhat Villa in Brno, the Český Krumlov Castle and Chateau, and the Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk on Green Hill in Žďár nad Sázavou.