The NPÚ nominated Bečov Castle for the Europa Nostra awards

Bečov (Karlovy Vary) - The state castle Bečov and its project Castle Bečov - conservation and presentation has been submitted this year by the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) as the only entry in the category of project conceptual documentation for the European Union's Europa Nostra 2009 cultural heritage competition. Even participation in the competition can contribute to increasing interest from visitors or institutions in the castle complex and can also help expedite the planned reconstruction of the castle, said the castle manager Tomáš Wizovský to ČTK today.
One possible award is a financial reward of 10,000 euros (about 250,000 crowns). This would be welcome, as at least 56 million CZK is needed for the restoration of the castle, which occupies approximately two-thirds of the Bečov complex. And that is the price for the most necessary works. The entire complex requires up to 200 million. “However, any non-financial recognition or even the nomination for the competition is a great benefit and promotion for the monument,” noted the castle manager.
The NPÚ worked with the Girsa studio and the Czech Technical University in Prague on preparing the materials for the competition. The project describes the concept and the solution for the conservation of the medieval castle. The application includes 118 pages of specialist text, 90 high-quality photographs, 19 images and iconography, and 23 floor plans, site plans, and graphs. “This is the first historical summary of the exceptional results of expert surveys and expertise about the castle from both the past and recent years,” stated Wizovský.
The Gothic castle consists of a monumental grouping of the chapel tower, the ancient donjon, and the connecting wing. The structure established before the middle of the 14th century lost its representative function during the Thirty Years' War. Nevertheless, the Bečov castle is preserved in a highly authentic form. Its reconstruction, however, is progressing slowly. “We have already done conservation work on the plaster, and this year we are repairing the roof. A unique fire tank is also being created in the castle area,” said Wizovský.
Only the castle section is currently open to the public, where the reliquary of Saint Maurus, one of the most important monuments in the Czech Republic, is displayed. Thanks in part to this, attendance at the castle has increased in recent years to about 55,000 people at the end of September last year. This year, it is likely to be affected by the crisis, as nearly 50,000 visitors have come so far. Approximately 21 million crowns have been invested in the restoration of the castle and castle grounds in Bečov over the past three years.