Klášterec has completed the construction of a modern cultural center for nearly 190 million

Klášterec nad Ohří – The new cultural center in Klášterec nad Ohří in the Chomutov region is ready. The city has invested nearly 190 million crowns in its largest investment in recent years, of which 43 million will come from a subsidy. In addition to a large hall, the cultural house also offers a municipal library, facilities for amateur artists, and a café. It will be presented to the public for the first time this Saturday, said city spokesperson Adéla Václavíková, as reported by ČTK.

The city decided to invest also due to the inefficiency of the original cultural house and the Panorama community center, where the municipal library was previously located. The original building was constructed in the late 1950s to early 1960s.

Construction work on the new cultural center began in April 2020. "The original building was essentially surrounded, new spaces for the library were created, the large hall was expanded, the floor was raised, and the surroundings, access road, and parking spaces were also newly established. The original sculptures were placed in the new cultural center, which local residents will certainly appreciate," the spokesperson said.

The construction cost 188 million crowns. Costs increased by seven million crowns during the work due to the need for pile construction because of unstable ground, and another reason was the construction of a new heat exchanger. The city has already received a European subsidy of 43 million crowns from the Ministry of the Environment’s Operational Program for the Environment, and the remaining costs are covered by the city's saved funds.

The cultural center after reconstruction offers a large hall with a balcony, a small theatre hall, a café, a municipal library for children and adults, facilities for amateur artists, club rooms for local senior organizations, a rehearsal room, and a press center. Future plans also include a recording studio and a bookstore.

The building was designed as a passive house. It features photovoltaic panels on the roof, and rainwater is channeled from the parking lot and roof into an infiltration tank for irrigation use. The building can also respond to the heat emitted by visitors thanks to a computer, the spokesperson stated. According to her, it is currently one of the most modern cultural centers in the Czech Republic.

The cultural house is operated by the city’s contributory organization Zámek Klášterec nad Ohří, which also manages all cultural facilities in the city. The grand opening is scheduled for this Saturday, where organizers have prepared guided tours for visitors. The architect of the building and the Litoměřice bishop Jan Baxant, who will bless the center, will also participate.