The historic shipyard in Brno-Jundrov has become a monument

Brno - The Ministry of Culture has declared the historic Brno boatyard from the second half of the 19th century as a monument. The building in Brno-Jundrov is, however, in poor condition. The wood, which is a structural element, is infested with wood rot. The uniqueness of the building in the territory of Brno contributed to its designation as a monument, said Petr Czajkowski from the National Heritage Institute in Brno today.
    "There were probably more similar buildings, but unfortunately, they have succumbed to time. A similar half-timbered architecture can still be found at part of the main train station in Brno," said Czajkowski. According to him, the building likely served the Brno Rowing Society (Brünner Ruderverein) since 1870, where the elite of the German Brno of that time gathered.
    The building had a storage space for boats, a social room for member meetings, and a caretaker's apartment. Later, it was supplemented with a glass pavilion that presumably served to watch rowing competitions on the river. However, that no longer exists today.
    The location of the boatyard is famous for its rowing history. During the first republic, a total of four rowing clubs, including the Czech Rowing Club, were based here, which still has its headquarters there today. Olympic champion Miroslava Knapková also began her journey on the Svratka River.
    The boatyard now belongs to Masaryk University, which is looking for a purpose for it. According to the bursar Martin Veselý, it should serve students for community life and leisure activities. However, the building must first be stabilized.
    "The damage to the load-bearing structures is very serious and means dismantling the building. The corner tower is unusable and is tilting away from the rest of the building," said Veselý. According to him, it will be necessary to reconstruct the building according to the construction methods from the time of its creation and to seek nearly extinct crafts and materials. "This of course increases the cost," added Veselý.
    The building is in a quiet zone of the city, but on the other hand, it is in close proximity to a large urban ring road and Žabovřeská Street, which is expected to undergo an expensive expansion. "All of this will impact the state and perception of the place," added Veselý.