Petrova bouda in the Krkonoš Mountains should open on New Year's Eve

Špindlerův Mlýn (Trutnovsko) - The new Petrova Bouda on the ridge of the Krkonoš Mountains is expected to open this New Year's Eve. Builders are currently working mainly inside. The structures are expected to be handed over to the investor in July. This was reported by ČTK from representatives of the Snowy Chalet company, which is the investor of the construction. The original Petrova Bouda was destroyed by fire on August 1, 2011. Construction of the new Petrova Bouda at an altitude of 1,288 meters, consisting of two buildings, began in May 2016.

The construction site is located in the highest parts of the Krkonoš Mountains. According to Martin Havlík from Snowy Chalet, the new construction has withstood the extreme conditions. "So far, it has held up excellently, it is nicely frostbitten, but it is warm inside. The heat pumps are working reliably. Just during the autumn storm, the roof covering was damaged, but everything has been repaired and the roof has been reinforced and improved. Currently, work is mainly focused on interior completions," said Havlík.

In the first half of January, there was heavy snowfall in the Krkonoš Mountains, and strong winds blew for several days at the mountain ridges, where there is now about two meters of snow. "I think the amount of snow is normal for this place; it’s just that we have all gotten used to less snow over the past five years," said Havlík.

According to Havlík, nothing significant or essential has emerged that could disrupt the successful completion of construction on schedule. "We'll see what the snow cover will be like on the mountains at the end of April after Easter. The estimated construction handover is in July 2019, but work on the interiors will continue," Havlík noted. The total costs for the construction, including equipment, are approximately 120 million crowns.

The new Petrova Bouda consists of two separate buildings, the main A and the smaller B. Building B is independent and will serve to accommodate guests with a capacity of ten people. In the larger four-story building A, there will be a restaurant, 52 beds, of which 12 in a dormitory and 40 in the accommodation part, in the basement there will be wellness facilities, technical background, and storage.

The main structure was created under the supervision of conservationists, as it was designed as an extension and annex to the remaining part of the original Petrova Bouda from 1887, which is protected as a cultural monument. In the form recognized by visitors to the Krkonoš Mountains before the fire, it existed for over a hundred years. Only part of the outer walls and the transformer station from the Petrova Bouda were saved. Since 2008, the dilapidated structure has been closed to tourists.

The cause of the fire of the original Petrova Bouda, which consisted of a trio of buildings, is unknown. According to firefighters, the fire was set intentionally; however, the police did not identify the perpetrator and closed the case.