Znojmo will officially become the owner of the Loucký Monastery

Znojmo - Znojmo will definitely become the owner of the Louka Monastery. After long unsuccessful attempts to sell the monastery, the state will eventually transfer the deteriorating monument to the city. Lenka Taie Kolaříková, the director of the Brno branch of the Office for State Representation in Property Matters, confirmed to Czech Television today that the transfer is already being prepared. The state has set only one condition for the transfer: the city must not sell the monastery for 20 years.
    According to Czech Television, the office was still waiting for a letter from the Ministry of Finance (MF), which was requested for millions for basic repairs. If funds were found for repairs, the monument would likely remain in state hands. However, the MF has already responded that there are no funds available for the monastery. It remains to finalize the details of the transfer in a contract that could be signed in a few weeks. In September, the transfer is expected to be approved by the Znojmo city council.
    “The monastery, which is a dominant feature of the city, should become a cultural and social center. Its utilization will definitely be a matter of broad discussion with the public and experts. They should prepare detailed studies on how to utilize the monument,” said Znojmo city hall spokesperson Denisa Šipošová.
    Znojmo Mayor Petr Nezveda (ODS) can imagine that part of the former monastery could be filled with hotel rooms, and a social hall should be created for hosting balls.
    The Premonstratensian monastery from 1190 is an important monument. For several centuries, it served as a center of education and culture. After its dissolution, several tenants occupied the area, with the last being the Czechoslovak Army. Since 1993, however, the monastery has been empty and deteriorating. The costs for its repair are increasing annually and are currently estimated at 1.5 billion CZK, according to Czech Television.