In Liberec, the reconstruction of the Liebieg Palace will begin and will last for 20 months

Liberec – In Liberec, a complete reconstruction of the entire Liebieg Palace complex will begin in September for more than 200 million crowns. The work will take approximately 20 months and, upon completion, the neo-Renaissance palace will serve as a community center. For the city, this is the largest construction contract in recent years. The city hall has obtained a European grant of 164.7 million crowns for it, with the remainder funded from its budget, announced today during the site handover by Deputy Mayor Radka Loučková Kotasová (ANO).

The contract for 203.5 million crowns was awarded to a consortium of companies CL-Evans and Metrostav. The executive and commercial director of CL-EVANS, Tomáš Kafka, stated that one of the first steps before commencing work will be the installation of protective elements for all historically valuable artifacts to prevent damage. "Then, following the chosen work procedure, we will gradually start dismantling and demolition work," he told reporters today.

The palace was built nearly 140 years ago by manufacturer Johann Liebieg Jr.; after his death, the family stopped residing in the villa and rented it out. "The core of the reconstruction is a pure heritage restoration of the object," stated today the chief architect of the project from the Masák & Partner studio, Jan Brejcha. According to him, most of the interior spaces will require a "high level" of craft restoration. "Because this is a historical object, which has artistic-craft elements at a higher level, and it is often done using technologies that are no longer common today," he said. To ensure accessibility, two elevators will be constructed.

Outside, the palace will return to its original appearance after the roof and facade repairs. "The color scheme will change," said the architect. Currently, the facade is a combination of white and pink. The specific color change has not been disclosed yet; it remains a secret. At the same time, he appreciated that as part of the repairs, some of the lost parts of the building will be restored. He cited the winter garden as an example. "We will try to return this space to a state close to that of the 19th century, with the difference that there will no longer be a winter garden but a newly placed café," he added.

After the repairs, Liebieg Palace will become a place for meeting people of various ages, from children to seniors, and various social groups. It will be operated by the city organization Kontakt. The city hall estimates that after its opening, up to 120,000 people could use all the services of the meeting center annually. Inside the palace, a new large hall, an art studio with a workshop, exhibition spaces, computer and multipurpose rooms, two gymnasiums, and a gardening club with a ceramic kiln and greenhouse will be created. In the past, the palace was primarily used for displaying artworks; the Regional Gallery operated in the building from 1953 until the end of 2014, when it moved to modern, generously reconstructed city baths. Since then, the palace has been empty.