The repair of the walls of the fortress Josefov will likely be completed by next year

Jaroměř - The repair of the northeastern section of the walls in the Baroque fortress of Josefov in Jaroměř in the Náchod region is likely to be completed by the summer of 2021, a year earlier than the builders had anticipated. After the winter break, work has resumed at full capacity. This was reported to ČTK by representatives of the Jaroměř municipal office. The goal is to expand the walking circuit in the fortress and to repair the emergency condition of the walls in the reconstructed section.

"The contracting company has seen a reduction in workers, but due to Josefov, they have limited other constructions; Josefov is a priority. They are working at a great pace," said Jaroměř Mayor Josef Horáček (VPM) to ČTK.

The reconstruction, which costs over 130 million crowns, including project documentation and other matters, is divided into several phases and began last September. According to initial assumptions, it was supposed to take three years. More than 80 percent of the costs will be covered by EU grants.

Workers are operating in the area where the Brutal Assault music festival is held every summer. This year's edition of the festival, scheduled for early August, is uncertain due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Around 15 employees are working there, seven days a week from morning till evening. It's noticeable; progress is being made by leaps and bounds. They hope to have all the planned work completed by mid-summer 2021, a year earlier than originally anticipated," said Milan Libich, who is responsible for construction supervision, to ČTK.

According to him, the reconstruction concerns about one-tenth of the fortifications surrounding the fortress town. It is the most extensive project of its kind in the town in recent years.

The reconstruction aims to prevent further deterioration of the fortifications and to rectify the emergency state of the walls. Repairs will primarily focus on the bastions and walls, including sandstone cornices, infill openings, and gunpowder stores. Plans also include the removal of non-original parts of damaged masonry, elements created by later additions, and the excavation of clay.

Interestingly, builders are using bricks made by hand with a special technology to ensure they closely resemble the original bricks, known as "šancovky," in appearance and properties. Smaller and lower-quality bricks were often used for later constructions, as well as poor-quality mortar.

The fortress town of Josefov is a municipal heritage reserve. The outer fortification, known as the Upper Fortress, is on the indicative list of national cultural monuments. The fortress was established at the behest of Emperor Joseph II to protect the country's borders from Prussia in 1780 and was handed over as combat-ready seven years later. It continued to modernize until 1850, experiencing its greatest prosperity during that time.