The region proposed three options for the repairs and financing of the Imperial Baths

Karlovy Vary - The Karlovy Vary Region today presented three variants of the reconstruction of the Imperial Baths to the public. They differ in terms of commercial use and financing options. The current version of the project estimates costs at 500 million crowns. This is 300 million less than the original project, and the current version also accounts for partial commercial use, which could reduce operating costs. The Imperial Baths are a national cultural monument.

The mayor of Karlovy Vary, Petr Kulhánek (KOA), stated during today’s public discussion that several mutually exclusive parameters need to be considered, making the decision complex. "Whether it is about use, drawing grants, or potential commercial use. It is a question of whether the Imperial Baths can be home to an orchestra. The decision lies with us, with you, and with the European Union," he stated.

One variant of the repairs assumes that most of the costs would be covered by the region and the city, with the Ministry of Finance contributing 100 million crowns. The second variant then utilizes 123 million from the Integrated Territorial Development Plan for Karlovy Vary, with the remaining funds again provided by the region and the city. According to the third option, the entire project would be revised to meet the condition of obtaining up to 85 percent of costs from European funds. Both the second and third variants would mean non-commercial use of the building, and renting it out for the needs of the film festival would not be possible, for example.

The plan for the reconstruction of the national cultural monument, completed in 1895, took concrete shape in 2008. Both the region and the city collaborated on it. However, at that time, the Imperial Baths were not yet a national cultural monument.

The current progress was criticized today by the regional councilor for heritage care, Vojtěch Franta (Pirates). "My opinion is that the assignment and selection of the designer should have taken place in the form of an open competition. A national cultural monument deserves an architectural competition of global significance," he said.

The Concert Hall for Karlovy Vary association also presented its own proposal to the public today. According to this proposal, the building would be completely reconstructed into a large concert hall and facilities for the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra. According to the chairman of the association, Martin Vondráček, the city lacks a hall that would meet acoustic and capacity requirements for large orchestra concerts with choirs and that would not be disturbed by the operations of the hotels where the current halls are located.

Although the proposal gained several supporters at today’s public meeting, heritage preservationist Luboš Zeman warned that the heritage significance of the building lies in the spa part of the structure, which features a unique system for delivering peat to the floors. "If we introduce operations that would interfere with the bathing section, it would violate the heritage significance," Zeman warned.

According to city councilor Ota Homolka (What do they want?!) from Karlovy Vary, an architectural competition for the use of the building should first be announced. Another suggestion was to use the Imperial Baths as a representative object of the region. The region, with contributions from the city, has already invested around 60 million in the projects and their modifications.