The damage from the fire at the historical mill in Vranov is 1.8 million CZK

photo: www.znojemsko.cz

Vranov nad Dyjí - The clarified amount of damage caused by the fire in the historic mill in Vranov nad Dyjí in the Znojmo region is approximately 1.8 million CZK. CTK was informed today by fire brigade spokesman Jaroslav Mikoška. Police spokeswoman Lenka Drahokoupilová stated last week that the fire was caused by a technical fault in the electrical installation, and the police found no outside culpability.

The building burned down at the beginning of June, with investigators then estimating the preliminary amount of damage to be about 300,000 crowns lower. Practically the entire mill's technological part, which is a listed heritage site, was destroyed in the fire. Two months after the fire, the owner of the mill applied for its exemption from heritage protection. However, the heritage conservationists do not agree with this.

"The basic structure of the building has been preserved, and therefore, in the context of the urbanism of the historic core of the village, there has been no change in the urbanistic value of the mill. The spatial arrangement of the valuable complex of the watermill has also not been disrupted, and given the fact that a measurement of the building, including the interiors, was taken before the fire, there should be no problem proceeding with the heritage restoration of the burned-out mill," states the Brno office of the National Heritage Institute in its statement. The text is available to CTK.

The statement also indicates that the fire broke out a week after a visit was arranged with a specialist who was supposed to document the technological equipment of the mill professionally. "The ministry cannot comment on this case or speculate on the outcome of the decision. The request for the cancellation of the declaration as a cultural monument was first submitted by the owner concerning the burned-out mill, and subsequently, the request was expanded by the owner to include the entire baroque complex, which further prolongs the ongoing proceedings," wrote CTK today citing press spokeswoman of the ministry Simona Cigánková.

The area has several construction phases. The oldest dates back to the first quarter of the 18th century and ends in 1722 when Michal Jan III. of Althann died. Above the entrance to the complex, he and his wife Maria Josefa Pignatelli, who died 33 years after him, have a combined coat of arms. The fire did not damage it or the residential buildings. The next phase of the mill's construction is neoclassical.

The building changed owners a few months ago, with plans for its reconstruction and commercial use. According to the heritage conservationists, the intention was in sharp conflict with heritage protection.