The Kolín town hall is preparing the reconstruction of the castle with the brewery

Kolín - The Kolín Town Hall is preparing the reconstruction of the dilapidated castle with a brewery in the city center. According to Deputy Mayor Jiří Buřič, a decision on the final architectural design of the area could be made within a month, as the city is currently awaiting a statement from the heritage conservationists. Afterwards, they will be looking for financing options. Besides grants and their own sources, they do not rule out the entry of a private investor, Buřič told ČTK today.
The prepared study, according to him, anticipates the preservation of the castle and the forecourt. The brewery's fermentation rooms will be demolished, while the fate of the malt houses is still being discussed. According to Buřič, the study is a compromise of the opinions presented so far, including proposals from the Lapis refugii association, which wanted to transform the area into a cultural and community center.
Some time ago, the council recommended that the representatives finalize a long-term lease of the castle to the local company G-Reality. The company offered to help with the restoration of the monument, including financially.
"Given that other options have opened up, we will wait now," added Buřič. According to him, the city has a chance to obtain funding for the project not only from European funds, but he did not specify the concrete possibilities. If successful, it would be unnecessary to lease the castle. However, the Deputy Mayor did not rule out that they might also utilize the planned contract with G-Reality.
The city is currently working on a project for the reconstruction of the castle and forecourt and has commissioned a project for the infrastructure repair. Once the final architectural solution for the area is known, they will decide on the financing method. The estimate suggests that over 200 million crowns will be needed.
The origin of the Kolín castle dates back to 1437, when the Hussite captain and priest Bedřich from Strážnice began the construction of a small fortress called Lapis refugii (Stone of Refuge) near the city fortifications. Just as the owners of the estate changed, so did the appearance of the castle. For example, knight František Horský built a brewery in it in the second half of the 19th century. Another significant reconstruction was a result of a fire in 1911. Modifications to the area continued until 1988 when the brewery ceased operations.
In recent years, the city has managed to repair one wing of the area, where part of the town hall has relocated.