The Liberec Town Hall is preparing a benefit for the Neo-Renaissance spa

Liberec - The Liberec City Hall will organize a benefit at the end of May in the dilapidated building of the neo-Renaissance spa that it purchased last year. The proceeds will be used to return the nymph sculpture to the entrance area of the spa building. City spokesperson Martin Korych told ČTK today that the current owner of the sculpture does not want to part with it. Therefore, either a copy made from photographic documentation or a completely new artwork will return to the spa.
The city took over the building last October, and since then, necessary repairs have been made according to Korych. The City Hall plans to invest over 11 million crowns in these repairs this year. The outer facade, adorned with rich stone sculptures, is in particularly poor condition. "The spa has always been one of the most significant architectural gems of the city. We have already organized two open days there, and thousands of people attended each time," Korych added.
The benefit will take place on May 28, during which the city hall will present archival materials about the building and projects for its future use for the first time. From 09:00, the interiors of the building will be open, and there will be an exhibition of photographs by artist Jiří David, who became famous mainly for the neon heart above Prague Castle. The evening program will feature actress Chantal Poullain, the Gutha Company of Jiří Jarkovský, and graduates of the technical university presenting fashion creations on the theme of the evolution of swimwear from the Art Nouveau period to the present and into the future.
The city hall evaluated a total of four variants for potential use of the building last month. The vision that appealed most to the city was to transform it into a Health House. "Not only will the adjustment be the least demanding, but the operation of the Health House should also be financially self-sustaining," stated Mayor Jiří Kittner. According to him, the building is protected as a monument, so it will not be easy to make significant structural changes to it. Therefore, the project anticipates the preservation and reconstruction of the swimming pool area. The reconstruction will cost over 453 million crowns, but its financing is currently uncertain. "The building will serve public purposes, so it is possible to consider co-financing from public sources from both the state and the EU," the spokesperson added.
The neo-Renaissance spa in Liberec was built between 1900 and 1902 according to the design of Vienna architect Peter Paul Brang. It was created during the peak of the then German city's growth and forms an architecturally unique whole with the neighboring North Czech Museum and the children's polyclinic. Last year, the city acquired the monument at an auction for nine million crowns to save it from destruction. In recent years, it changed owners several times, who practically did not invest in it.