Liberec restored the small mourning hall to its original form

Liberec - Liberec has returned the small mourning hall in the crematorium building to its original form from 1974. The adjustments cost nearly three million crowns. David Novotný, head of the municipality's public property management, told ČTK today.

"The hall is structurally ready; we are just waiting for the delivery of the monitoring equipment, which means projection screens for the bereaved, and we expect to offer it starting January 15," Novotný stated.

The small mourning hall has been closed since July. The work could have been completed faster, but according to Novotný, the city would have had to close the entire crematorium. During mourning ceremonies, craftsmen did not perform any noisy work so as not to disturb the bereaved.

The crematorium in Liberec has been operating for a hundred years; the extension with the small mourning hall was built in 1974 and renovated in the 1990s. According to Novotný, the original furnishings of the hall were preserved even after the renovation; they were in various locations within the crematorium. "We have returned them. The only thing that is not original is the catafalque. We kept the one from the 90s reconstruction," he stated. Novotný also mentioned that they are considering returning the original decorations to the front wall, but a replica would need to be made. "The decoration was made of corrugated sheet metal," he added.

During this year's reconstruction, it was first necessary to repair the roof, which had long been leaking. New air conditioning and lighting were installed. Craftsmen also removed the floating floor that had been in the hall since the 90s. The original stone floor from 1917 is now back. "In these places, there was originally a courtyard, and the stone pavement that is here was preserved in 1974 as the floor of the small ceremonial hall," Novotný explained.

The crematorium also has a large mourning hall, which can accommodate over 100 people. The small hall, with a capacity of up to 30, is suitable for more intimate funerals. "We expect a high demand; many people ask about it. For example, when only two bereaved come, not everyone likes sitting in the large ceremonial hall," said Radka Fadrhoncová, the crematorium's operator. The ceremony in the small mourning hall is also about 1000 crowns cheaper than in the large one.

The Liberec crematorium is the oldest in the country. It belongs to the city, which is gradually renovating the heritage-protected building built in the Art Nouveau style. This year, around ten million crowns have been spent on its restoration, and a similar amount will be needed next year.