In Dolní Studénky, the reconstruction of the Třemešek castle has begun

Dolní Studénky - In Dolní Studénky in the Šumperk region, this week the long-planned reconstruction of the former Třemešek Castle began, which will cost approximately 50 million crowns. The building, which is owned by the municipality, was damaged by a large fire at the beginning of July. According to Mayor Radim Sršeň, the planned repairs had to be postponed by only a month. A community center is to be created in the building, featuring the largest maternity center in the region as well as social housing. The fire caused damage of over 2.5 million crowns. Investigators are still determining the cause.

"The reconstruction has already started; the construction site was handed over on Monday. The work addressing the aftermath of the fire is part of a major reconstruction. Fortunately, the delay due to the fire was about a month in the end. We are glad; we were concerned that it would be much more significant," said Mayor Radim Sršeň today to ČTK. "The castle has a history of several centuries. We were also saddened that it had been deteriorating in recent years. The reconstruction is not only to save this beautiful building, which is the dominant feature of the municipality, but also to create opportunities for its use," the mayor added.

The municipality has received European grants for the renovation of the castle into a community center. According to the mayor, half of the center will be used by mothers with children, while the other half will serve social purposes. There will be rooms for outpatient social services, a community space for the local residents of Třemešek, as well as social apartments intended for local citizens in case of emergency.

The former castle was affected by a fire at the beginning of July, which damaged about half of the roof. Initially, firefighters estimated the damage at 1.5 million crowns, but according to the mayor, it is ultimately higher. "The damage was ultimately assessed by a court expert at 2.3 million crowns excluding VAT, which is nearly a million crowns higher than expected," the mayor of the municipality added.

The two-story building is a monument of Renaissance architecture from 1587, which was rebuilt between 1857 and 1863. The municipality acquired the castle from the Olomouc Region about eight years ago for a symbolic crown, with the agreement to reconstruct the building for social purposes. The building had served as a social accommodation, and the operator's lease ended at the end of June.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated, according to Fire Brigade spokesperson Vladimíra Hacsiková, and expert opinions are awaited. Police are investigating the fire as damage to someone else's property. According to the police, the fire started in one of the rooms in the attic, from where it subsequently spread and engulfed part of the roof.