The builders took over Žďárská Zelená hora instead of the believers and tourists

Žďár nad Sázavou - The repairs of the Church of St. John of Nepomuk at Zelená hora in Žďár nad Sázavou are continuing. Restorers are working inside, and builders have already started due to the completion of the facade modifications. This was stated by the priest Vladimír Záleský. The pilgrimage site, the work of architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichl, is listed on the UNESCO heritage list. The parish has been carrying out the church restoration project for the third year.

For this year, the parish also planned to continue the church tours. It is closed following regulations issued due to the spread of the coronavirus. "On one hand, we would be happy if we could be open and hold services there, conduct tourists, but that is obviously not possible. The restorers have taken advantage of that," said Záleský. Work in the church has resumed since last month after the winter break. Scaffolding is now present in almost all side aisles of the church.

This year, according to Záleský, there will also be no pilgrimage held on May 8, which had been organized in the past two years. Hundreds of people used to walk in a procession to Zelená hora from the basilica in the area of the former monastery at the foot of the hill. The priest is also uncertain about the St. John's pilgrimage, as the feast of St. John of Nepomuk falls on May 16.

The church restoration project, costing 45 million crowns, is funded by the European Union. The church has already had its facade plaster repaired. For this year, the company has the completion of the paintwork on its last part and final adjustments at ground level left. The windows in the upper floor of the church, which were once partially bricked up, have returned to their original appearance. The restorers are now focusing on the restoration of the interior, which is taking place both in the church and in the restoration studios.

"Inside, work is underway on stucco decorative elements and figurative decorations," said the coordinator of the repairs, František Laštovička, to ČTK. Next month, workers could start with the landscaping of the outdoor area between the church and the ambulatory, where the cemetery used to be. The reconstruction of the church's paved floor is still to come.

The church restoration project should be completed by the end of this year. According to Laštovička, the contractors have not yet reported any issues due to the spread of the coronavirus. "If that arises, we will address it," he stated.

The church at Zelená hora was consecrated in 1722 and became a popular pilgrimage site. Its period of flourishing was interrupted by a fire in 1784. The Roman Catholic parish has managed Zelená hora since 2014.