The restorers are returning the sandstone of the Mill Colonnade to its original appearance

Karlovy Vary - Restorers are gradually restoring the original appearance of the decorative elements of the Mill Colonnade in Karlovy Vary. They are cleaning the sandstone statues as well as the colonnade cladding and removing the layers that were added during the last major renovation between 1984 and 1986, said restorer Marcel Hron to ČTK today.

The restoration work on the largest colonnade in Karlovy Vary is being carried out by the company Terrigena Art. According to Hron, they aim to complete the repairs on the exterior of the colonnade by autumn and then move to the interior spaces.

"We want to clean the stone but leave it in the form it originally had. During the last renovation, it was covered to achieve a uniform appearance. We want to present it as if it were new," Hron said. Currently, the restorers are cleaning 12 allegorical statues on the colonnade's attic, of which two are replicas of the original statues.

Architect Josef Zítek used two types of sandstone in the construction between 1871 and 1881, Hořice sandstone and sandstone from the German city of Pirna. After restoration, the color difference between the two types should be more prominent.

"Currently, the reconstruction involves the renovation of the exterior parts of the colonnade, particularly the heritage and structural components. There will also be a reconstruction of the underground," said Ivana Borovcová, director of the Administration of Natural Healing Resources and Colonnades, to ČTK. The construction is taking place with partial closures of the colonnade, roughly in thirds, so that access to the five springs that emerge from the colonnade is maintained as much as possible.

The total cost of the repair of the Mill Colonnade is expected to exceed 95 million crowns, including VAT, and is set to last until mid-next year. This represents the largest investment by the city into spa colonnades.