Terezín is a half-abandoned city

Terezín - The fortress town of Terezín in the Litoměřice region has been a half-abandoned city for the last two decades. Mayor Růžena Čechová told ČTK that while around 300,000 tourists come here each year, they do not stay. Many buildings in the city are empty, and the local population is aging because young people do not move here. The town hall hopes that the funds provided by the European Union for the reconstruction of the city in the coming years will help.
According to the mayor, while there are a large number of empty buildings in Terezín that were vacated by the army at the end of the last century, there is a lack of apartments for people to move into. She explained that converting old and historically protected barracks into apartments is extremely expensive, and it is reportedly cheaper for developers to build new homes. The town hall does not have land available for new construction, it cannot build within the city walls, and most of the land surrounding the city is privately owned agricultural land.
People in Terezín also have trouble finding work. The army was the largest employer here in the past, but job opportunities vanished after its departure. Today, there are only a few private workshops, such as car repair shops, in the military facilities.
The city is set to receive a grant of 500 million crowns from European Union funds to help, which will be used to renovate four historical buildings over the next three years. The buildings Kavalír 2, Retranchement 5, the Artillery Barracks, and the Riding School will primarily host museums and historical exhibitions.
The mayor also hopes that efforts to list the city fortress on the UNESCO World Heritage List will be successful. According to her, this could bring not only more money to the city but also attract many more tourists. "Half a billion is not enough for the restoration of the damaged buildings; it may take several billion," she stated. According to her, however, the renovated buildings and the institutions that will arise in them will help develop services. This will increase the number of job opportunities and make the city more attractive.