Hradec Králové wants to repair a unique wooden church within two years

Hradec Králové - The City Hall of Hradec Králové would like to repair the unique wooden church of Saint Nicholas from the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries by the end of 2018. The repair is expected to cost about 20 million korunas and could begin at the end of this year. This was stated today by Deputy Mayor Jindřich Vedlich (TOP 09). The monument-protected church is one of the oldest wooden church monuments in Central Europe.

The city has been preparing the reconstruction of the church since 2014. At that time, it wanted to obtain a grant from Norwegian funds. However, it did not receive the grant, so it will now pay for the repairs from its own funds. The City Hall will use finance from last year's budget surplus. The repair project already has a building permit.

The chapel was originally built in the village of Habura in eastern Slovakia. In the middle of the 18th century, Habura sold it to the neighboring village of Nová Poľana, from which Hradec Králové bought it in 1935. The already significantly dilapidated chapel was then dismantled and rebuilt in Jiráskovy Sady in Hradec Králové after being transported by train. Since then, it has not undergone any major repairs. The City Hall rents the church to the Orthodox Church.

The City Hall has already conducted a restoration and construction-historical survey in the chapel. "This proved a relatively rapid decline of the original exquisite figurative wall paintings and a relatively rapid degradation of the original furniture, which was last restored in 1935," Vedlich stated. According to restorers, the main reason for the deterioration of the building is fluctuations in the microclimate of the structure.

During the reconstruction of the timber-framed building, traditional craftsmanship techniques and the existing material composition will be adhered to. "However, the most modern methods will be used for the sanitation and conservation of the original structures and elements of the building," Vedlich mentioned. A temporary air-conditioned hall will be constructed above the church during the repair. The church is also expected to receive modern equipment that will ensure stable temperature and humidity in the future. The chapel will get new electrical wiring and a water connection; the altar and wall paintings will also be repaired, and builders will also fix the gate with fencing and build a new access road.

Ten years ago, debates emerged in Slovakia about whether the Hradec church could be returned to Habura, as the first sale to Nová Poľana allegedly took place without a proper contract. At that time, Hradec Králové unequivocally rejected the possibility of returning the church. Architects and builders from Habura eventually made plans for the church in Hradec and built a copy of it in Habura in 2011, which is 600 kilometers away from Hradec Králové.