Six groups in the Plzeň Region are preparing books on rural baroque

Plzeň - A series of books dedicated to rural Baroque is being prepared by several local associations, which operate mainly in the Plzeň Region. Each publication will focus on a different theme; for example, one maps Baroque castles in the area, another presents the figure of a significant native from the Baroque town of Úterý, who contributed to the establishment and development of Mariánské Lázně, and another will offer legends from the selected region, etc. Jan Florian, the project coordinator, said this today to ČTK.
    "Six groups are involved, so six books will be published, each ranging from 50 to 150 pages, and they will have a uniform design, forming a series. Their preparation and publication were supported by the EU from a program intended for rural development," he stated.
    For example, the Local Action Group Český Západ - Local Partnership focused on Baroque castles; its members therefore researched the history of all castles around Stříbro, Konstantinovy Lázně, Planá, and Hracholusky, and will present 15 of them that are Baroque in the book.
    People will learn details about the castle in Trpísty built in 1729. It once faced demolition due to devastation, and it is now being gradually repaired. They will read about the castle owned by the municipality in Svojšín, as well as about objects in a very dilapidated state, which currently face annihilation. "For each monument, we mention the history as well as the current state; we describe their use, and there is photographic documentation included," said Florian.
    The personality of Karel Kašpar Reitenberger, a native of Úterý and abbot of the monastery in Teplá, is the focus of the book by the Local Action Group Náš region, which operates in the northern Plzeň Region and the southern part of the Karlovy Vary Region. The Local Action Group Radbuza, on the other hand, collects legends from its territory.
    The event is part of a project called Hidden Treasures or the Countryside of Plzeň, which is linked to the initiative of the city of Plzeň as the European Capital of Culture for 2015. The aim is to present the cultural potential of rural areas in the Plzeň Region. The groups received European support for the project, exceeding three million crowns.