The project for the modification of the horse stables in Lednice for half a billion has obtained approval

Brno/Lednice (Břeclav District) - The project for a multifunctional center to be built in the former stables of the castle in Lednice, Břeclav, has received a building permit. Nothing now prevents the renovations of the dilapidated building from beginning this fall. Nearly half a billion crowns will be invested in its transformation with the help of EU subsidies. Historically, this is one of the largest heritage restoration projects in Moravia. Representatives from Lednice, heritage conservationists, and the South Moravian Region told ČTK today.
    It will now be necessary to select a contractor for the construction, to whom the building should be handed over before the end of the year, so that work on the interiors can begin in winter. The stables are larger in area than the castle and were even nicknamed the Palace of Horses in the past.
    They consist of four spacious halls. By October 2013, they should be transformed into exhibitions about the Lednice-Valtice area and the UNESCO World Heritage List, on which the complex has been since 1997. An educational center is planned in the stables. It will serve as the headquarters for the Lower Morava Biosphere Reserve and, in addition to exhibitions and other social events, it will also host congresses.
    "Primarily, we will be able to extend the tourist season in Lednice into the winter period. The range of activities available there is already very diverse. It includes not only visits to the castle, its greenhouse, and park, but also recreation in the local therapeutic spas," said Petr Kroupa, director of the Brno heritage institute, to ČTK today.
    The project would have failed if it had not obtained a building permit by the end of March. "We would not have received EU funding if this deadline was not met. The process to obtain the building permit took six months," said the mayor of Lednice, Libor Kabát.
    The center is expected to open in the fall of 2013 with an exhibition about the influence of the Liechtenstein family in Moravia. This family established the Lednice-Valtice area, and the exhibition is intended to commemorate their contribution, said South Moravian Governor Michal Hašek (ČSSD).
    Lednice Castle is the most visited monument in Moravia. Last year, it was visited by around 330,000 tourists. Public interest in this monument is growing.