The southern wing of the Louka Monastery near Znojmo has new windows

Znojmo - Znojmo has completed another phase of the repairs on the Louka Monastery. In the southern wing, there are 35 new hand-crafted windows across five floors, identical to the original ones. The entire convent is to be gradually restored, which will require costs of 2.5 million crowns. The city will receive one million from a grant from the Ministry of Culture, spokeswoman Taťána Pavelková announced today in a press release.

Repairs will continue according to financial possibilities. These could be improved by being included in the list of national cultural monuments. The city requested this from the Ministry of Culture last year. The ministry sent a list last week that includes the monastery for a comment procedure. The final decision will be made by the government. "There is a plan for a gradual window replacement in the next wing," said mayor Vlastimil Gabrhel (ČSSD). The new windows are box windows made of larch wood, and they also have massive larch sills.

The city acquired the baroque monastic complex through a free transfer from the state six years ago, but in poor condition. Most of the repairs done so far have primarily addressed emergency situations. The former riding hall has undergone complete reconstruction. The complex is mainly utilized in the basement part of the convent, where it houses the wine storage of Znovín Znojmo. The city would like to organize cultural events in the repaired monastery and could also open it to tourists.

The monastery was founded in 1190 by Duke Konrád Ota of Znojmo and soon became one of the most important centers of spiritual and economic life in southwestern Moravia. Around the middle of the 18th century, it underwent extensive baroque reconstruction, involving numerous outstanding artists of the time. The monastery was abolished during Josephine reforms in 1784, and the buildings were then used for entirely different purposes. Although the construction of the baroque monastery was never completed, it remains one of the most valuable examples of late baroque art in Moravia.