Polička is repairing the baroque town hall in stages, finishing the tower.

Polička - The repair of the tower of the baroque town hall, which is a national cultural monument, is coming to an end in Polička in the Svitavy region. It has restored stuccos, and the work is part of a reconstruction of the town hall that will last several years, said Marta Mastná, head of the urban planning department, in a press release today.

Experts restored the tower above the roof and renovated the ground floor of the building. "The work at the square level is visible. The builders have removed the plinth, the wall has been re-plastered with a special restoration plaster that drew the moisture out," Mastná said.

The tower now has the same façade as the town hall; it is ochre, and the stuccos are white. Previously, it was only white. "On the tower itself, restoration work was primarily necessary. The façade was also very cracked, there were cracks that had to be reinforced first," Mastná said.

The tower clock has also been restored. The dials have been repaired, the glass replaced, and some parts of the clock restored. "We have a skilled maintenance worker who manages the precise setting of the clock. He very often climbs the narrow stairs to the tower to adjust the clock to make it run as it should. It strikes every quarter-hour," Mastná said.

Part of the tower dates back to the Gothic period, probably from the time of Charles IV. Around the tower, the baroque town hall was built in Polička, which was completed in 1744. The original Gothic chapel is preserved on the first floor of the tower.

The overall restoration of the Polička baroque town hall is planned in three phases. The budget for the restoration and construction work is 16 million crowns. This year, repairs cost five million crowns.

"We are expecting the restoration of the façades including the rich stucco decoration; next year will be the restoration of the southern and western façades, and the following year the restoration of the northern and eastern façades," Mastná said. Restorers will also work on the painted city coat of arms on the eastern façade of the building, she added.