Lázně Luhačovice have initiated the revitalization of the colonnade and the Vincentka hall

Luhačovice - The Luhačovice spa has started the revitalization of the colonnade, the Vincentka hall, and other buildings in the spa area. The buildings will regain their original appearance, built in the late 1940s and early 1950s based on the design by architect Oskar Pořísky. The project will cost about 104 million crowns, of which the European subsidy is expected to be over 98 million crowns, said Jiří Dědek, the executive director of the spa, to journalists today.

The work began a week ago, and the restoration of the Vincentka hall is expected to be completed by the beginning of next summer, while the colonnade should be open to the public in October after revitalization. "For many years, the colonnade has not fulfilled its role as a natural meeting place and promenade full of life. Fortunately, in the meantime, the city invested in Dr. Veselý's promenade, which has now become a new promenade. Even during the reconstruction, we will not restrict the visitors to the spa and the area," stated the CEO of the company Eduard Bláha.

According to him, the reconstruction will not bring significant visual changes. "The building will return to its full glory before it started to decline, no one will stumble on the pavements, everything will be new, flat, and made of beautiful materials," Bláha added.

In the Vincentka hall, builders are currently chiseling the columns down to the concrete and removing the flooring. "From a preservation perspective, the restoration of the columns and the renovation of the stained glass are important," said Dědek. Besides being a place for drinking cures, the hall will also become a cultural center, featuring an interactive exhibition on the history of Luhačovice's mineral waters.

The transformation of the colonnade will mainly focus on its center near the former Amandka spring, where the roof of the colonnade will be glassed, as it was in the original design. The Vincentka spring will be brought to the original drinking fountain. The lighting of the colonnade will also be changed. "At night, with musical accompaniment, it will acquire a completely different atmosphere, transforming from merely a shelter and covered walkway into a lively promenade," Bláha noted. The spa will also invest in modifications of small shops in the colonnade. "Some will be transformed into gastronomic establishments to bring real life to the place," Bláha stated.

The colonnade's revival has also been welcomed by the mayor of Luhačovice, Marie Semelová (CSSD). "It used to be customary for the whole town to move to these places on weekends. People would regularly come here for walks after lunch. I believe that the people of Luhačovice will once again find this place," the mayor said.

The parts of the spa area under renovation are fenced off, and there is a higher barrier on the side of Jurkovič's house. The work is expected to disturb guests as little as possible, with planned hours only on weekdays from 08:00 to 17:00. "We are still considering artistically designing the fencing," Bláha mentioned. The spa area, covering about 20 hectares, has been nominated for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.