Litomyšl (Svitavsko) - Litomyšl is preparing a generous plan for a request for grants from the European Union called Revitalization of the Castle Hill. The collection of buildings and gardens, including the castle listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is about half owned by the state, while the other half belongs to the city and the Piarist order. According to the city hall's vision, this unique location should be utilized year-round, not just during the tourist season, said the main project coordinator, architect Ivo Koukol, to journalists. "The entire historic center and parts around the square are already in very good condition and attractive to visitors, but the castle has remained a bit on the sidelines," Koukol stated. The castle hill hosts a Renaissance castle with several courtyards, a former brewery, the Noble House, a carriage house, stables, a riding hall, the Piarist church, and the Piarist school, and the area includes English and French gardens. Litomyšl has previously repaired part of the former castle brewery, which houses the European YMCA Training Center. Now, it wants to gradually revive and reconstruct the entire castle hill. The church will serve its original purpose, and a Diocesan Museum from the collections of the Catholic Church of the Hradec Králové Diocese is intended to be established in its sacristy. The riding hall is to be transformed into a multipurpose hall, and the extension of the Piarist school will be used by the Faculty of Restoration of the University of Pardubice, which already resides in the building. The current historical exhibitions in the castle will remain, and after the reconstruction of the third floor, they could be expanded, such that new spaces will also be utilized by the city gallery and the so-called School in the Castle, a nature school focused on history. This should also include accommodation capacities. The castle gardens will also be modified, with one of the courtyards being covered by a lightweight removable tent structure. The city would also like to continue repairs to the second part of the brewery. The city hall has divided the hill into seven zones and has hired five architects, including Josef Pleskot, who has already worked in Litomyšl during the brewery reconstruction. Most of the project documentation for the building permit is complete, and the city is now waiting for the announcement of a call for grant applications. It plans to present the studies and projects to the public during February of next year. Litomyšl is currently negotiating complexly with the Ministry of Culture and the National Heritage Institute regarding the loan of part of the area owned by the state, which is a condition for obtaining grants from European funds. The costs of the first phase, which includes the forecourt, the school, and the Piarist church, the brewery, courtyards, the riding hall, and the carriage house, are estimated at 380 million crowns, while the entire project, including the castle and gardens, would cost around half a billion crowns.
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