Havlíčkův Brod is looking for uses for the churches offered by the church

Havlíčkův Brod - The Havlíčkův Brod town hall is looking for a use for two churches that the Roman Catholic Church wants to donate along with the surrounding land. The city could take over the church dedicated to Saint Catherine and the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, as the local deanery does not have enough money for their maintenance. As the city’s deputy mayor Čeněk Jůzl stated today to ČTK, the councilors will only deal with the transfer of this property when they know what purpose the church buildings could serve.
    “We are negotiating with several entities from the non-profit sector regarding the future use of the churches,” Jůzl said. The city is already taking over the cemetery at the Church of Saint Wojciech from the church. The cemetery near the city center is a cultural monument and has not been in use for over half a century. The town hall wants to renovate it and also restore burials there. The church will remain the property of the church.
    The churches that the church wants to hand over should not be used in a way that would cause scandal, for example, there should not be a night bar in them, noted vicar Ladislav Novák. According to him, about ten churches are currently being handed over for different uses in the Hradec Králové diocese.
    The Church of Saint Catherine is partly covered by a bridge over the Sázava River. It was mentioned as early as 1319, when a hospital stood by it. Due to the construction of the bridge, the church was shortened from the west side in 1853, and it was completely closed for several decades in the last century. In recent years, the public has been allowed to access the chapel once a year for a service, and this tradition should be preserved. Last year, local singer-songwriters began drawing attention to the dilapidated monument. Several concerts have been held in the church, the proceeds of which were intended for minor repairs to the interior.
    The Baroque Church of the Most Holy Trinity in the city park consists of a hexagonal central structure from the early 18th century. A little later, two wings were added to the church, and in 1761, a three-sided Chapel of the Holy Cross was also built. This chapel stands on the site of a miraculous spring, which, according to legend, had healing properties.