MK proposes to declare the churches of Broumov as national cultural monuments

Prague - A group of buildings called the Broumov Group of Churches in the Hradec Králové Region could become a national cultural monument as of July. This is proposed by the Ministry of Culture, and the government will consider the proposal on Wednesday. According to the accompanying report, the 11 monuments form an interconnected architectural ensemble that is exceptional due to its stylistic coherence, architectural uniqueness, authenticity, and scope, as well as its urbanistic impact on the landscape.

Last year marked the 270th anniversary of the death of Kilian Ignac Dientzenhofer, and this year marks the 300th anniversary of the death of his father, Christoph Dientzenhofer, who are the authors of the proposed buildings. Their declaration as national cultural monuments would be, according to the ministry, a dignified reminder of the work of both Baroque masters.

National cultural monuments represent the most significant part of Czech cultural heritage and are subject to stricter protection than cultural monuments, of which there are many more. Unlike cultural monuments, which are declared by the Ministry of Culture itself, proposals for national cultural monuments must be discussed by the government.

The composed cultural landscape of Broumov was created in the first quarter of the 18th century thanks to the cooperation of the commissioning figure, the abbot of the Broumov Monastery, Ottmar Zinke, and the father and son Dientzenhofers. They are the authors of ten out of the 11 proposed monuments. Although the Baroque Church of the Virgin Mary, St. George, and St. Martin in Martínkovice was not designed by the Dientzenhofers, but by Martin Allio, the church was the starting point for the project of Baroque architectural renewal of the region and is thus part of the ingenious Baroque composition of the local cultural landscape.

According to the ministry, the specificity of the ensemble lies in the incorporation of Baroque buildings into the landscape of rock formations of the Broumov Walls. This integration creates a unique solution in the context of cultural landscapes, not only within the Czech Republic but also across Europe, as noted in the government material.

The set proposed for declaration includes the Church of St. Procopius in Bezděkov nad Metují, the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Božanov, the Church of St. Wenceslas in Broumov, the Church of All Saints in Heřmánkovice, the Chapel of the Virgin Mary of Snow on Hvězda in Hlavňov, the Church of St. Barbara in Otovice, the Church of St. James the Greater in Ruprechtice, the Church of St. Margaret in Šonov, the Church of St. Archangel Michael in Vernéřovice, the Church of St. Anne in Vižňov, and the Church of the Virgin Mary, St. George, and St. Martin in Martínkovice.