In Kuks, the reconstruction of the baroque hospital has been completed after two years

Kuks (Trutnov region) - The reconstruction of the Baroque hospital in Kuks has been completed for nearly 440 million crowns. Visitors will have the opportunity to visit the monument for the first time on March 28 and 29, and the tourist season will begin on April 1. This was announced to journalists today by representatives of the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ).
    "The reconstruction involved the exteriors and interiors of the monument, the original herb garden was also restored, where traditional varieties of herbs, fruits, and vegetables will be grown. The courtyard of the hospital has been returned to its early 18th-century appearance," said the curator Libor Švec. According to him, the complex is now in the best condition since its establishment.
    According to Švec, the hospital's attendance was around 65,000 people from 2007 to 2010. "Our goal is to return to the levels of the 1980s when ROH (Revolutionary Trade Union Movement) was functioning, which saw over 100,000 visitors," Švec said. The project has also led to the creation of a multifunctional educational center in the former economic wing, offering seminars, courses, and other events.
    The reconstruction of the monument began in November 2011 with archaeological research, and the actual construction work started in June 2013. The repairs involved roofs, facades, windows, utility network installations, and drainage. According to the conservationists, the most interesting restorative work was on the wall decorations. The biggest event was the discovery of 52 wall paintings of the Dance of Death, filling the entire length of the corridor on the ground floor of the main wing. As part of the repairs, three paintings in the chapel were restored, and it was also possible to renovate the long-provisionally secured painted ceiling of the historic pharmacy.
    The general director of the National Heritage Institute (NPÚ), Naďa Goryczková, said that Kuks is the first of three projects supported by the European Union that are being completed this year. "Alongside Kuks, the restorations of the Veltrusy and Valtice castle complexes will also be completed this year. Last year, we opened the gardens of the Kroměříž Castle and the Stiassni Villa in Brno to visitors," Goryczková said. According to her, NPÚ is working on preparing other projects.
    One of these could be the restoration of Braun's nativity scene near Kuks. "We are very sorry that it was not part of this project, but the remediation and restoration are very problematic from an expert standpoint. The second reason is that the nativity scene involves a large scope of restoration work, and within the framework of European subsidies, it was necessary to respect a certain percentage of restoration work from the total restoration," Goryczková said.
    Alongside the completion of the hospital's revitalization, several investment projects in the municipality of Kuks have also concluded today, with the ribbon-cutting attended by Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka and Culture Minister Daniel Herman. Total investments amounted to approximately 200 million crowns, including, for example, a cycle path between Hradec Králové and Kuks, as well as the establishment of an information center. "In addition to the renovated Baroque houses, all roads, historical staircases, and wells with spa springs have been newly paved in the village," said Filip Košťál, project manager of the Revitalization Kuks company.
    The company, together with the regional authority, is preparing further projects, such as the continuation of the cycle path from Kuks to Dvůr Králové nad Labem or the creation of a parking garage for bicycles. The completion of the repair of the bridge over the Elbe is also planned.
    The Baroque complex in Kuks was begun by František Antonín Špork in 1692. Construction activity peaked around 1710. From the original extensive spa complex, only the hospital with the Church of the Holy Trinity and the crypt has survived. The castle and some other buildings were lost in floods and a fire. The world-famous Braun's sculptural decoration of the area remains.