Reconstruction of the Lobkovický Palace at Kost Castle is nearing completion

Libošovice – The reconstruction of the Lobkovice Palace in the upper area of Kost Castle is approaching its final stages. After the restoration of the plaster using traditional methods, the palace's appearance has changed. It corresponds to the state after the last major repair in the 19th century. Jan Macháček, the castle steward, informed ČTK today. Kost Castle belongs to the Kinský dal Borgo family. The reconstruction has only minimally affected the visitor season.

"Ninety percent of the plaster on the building was missing. By restoring the plaster, the palace's appearance has changed. A core plaster in gray-white was used for the palace's façade restoration. The original parts of the plaster that are intact have been preserved by experts," said Macháček.

Construction work is limited during the summer due to the visitor season, and will fully resume in the autumn, focusing mainly on the interiors.

The reconstruction of the Lobkovice Palace includes, in addition to the restoration of the building's façade, the stabilization of the masonry, plaster, doors, and windows, as well as an assessment of the rock massif's condition and its stabilization. It also includes the interior part. On the ground floor, where the 19th-century management offices and ticket office used to be, two exhibitions about the history of the castle will be created.

"We have completed the building's façade, including the restoration work on the original sgraffito that was on the façade. The windows on the entire façade of the building have also been fully restored," said Macháček.

Preparatory work began last autumn, and builders have been working in the interiors since winter. Completion is expected by spring 2027. According to Macháček, work worth 50 million crowns is about 70 percent complete. Most of the costs are expected to be covered by a European grant.

The upper area represents the Gothic core of the castle, with the Lobkovice Palace being its last unrenovated part. The castle complex also includes agricultural buildings such as a brewery or a mill, which are not national cultural monuments. These buildings in the lower part of the area have only been partially repaired. The current reconstruction does not concern these buildings; the owner is gradually repairing them with their own funds.

The most comprehensive reconstruction in the modern history of the castle was carried out by its owners between 2019 and 2021. The repairs included stabilizing the subsoil beneath the castle, draining the area, and the sanitation and stabilization of the outer walls and rock massif. Builders repaired the roof of St. Anne's Chapel, restored the surfaces of the courtyard, and preserved the decorative parts of the stone masonry. The castle also received a new camera system.

"The repair of the Lobkovice Palace is directly related to the major reconstruction from 2019 to 2021," added Macháček.

The castle, located in the cadastral area of Podkost, part of the Libošovice municipality, is a significant tourist destination in the Český ráj region. It is considered one of the best-preserved Gothic castles in the Czech Republic.