The Open-Air Museum of the Celts in Chrudim has expanded with the Stone Mason's House

Nasavrky – The Celtic Land Open-Air Museum in Nasavrky, located in the Chrudim region, has expanded its facilities with the Stonecutter's House. It will primarily serve for craft, educational, and group activities for visitors. Its construction began in 2024, said Ondřej Vojtíšek, the chairman of the Boii association, which built the area in the style of period buildings. More than 20,000 paying visitors come to the open-air museum on the outskirts of Nasavrky each year.

"The Stonecutter's House is a timber building with a log cabin structure and a hipped reed roof. Its design is based on an archaeological find from the fort at Kolo near Týnec nad Labem,” said Vojtíšek. The log structure with clay plasters represents the workshop of a stonecutter, whose work people will also be able to try out. The interior is equipped with lighting to serve handcraft activities. The small windows would provide little light for that purpose. Adjacent to the building is a shelter that will also be used for stonecutting activities.

The structure was created as a multifunctional facility for craft demonstrations, workshops, and educational programs. The interior is designed as a space that connects inspiration from historical buildings with the requirements of contemporary operations. The goal was not an exact reconstruction of a Celtic dwelling, but the creation of a quality and practical environment for working with visitors and program participants.

The costs of building the facility, including furnishings, decoration, and necessary infrastructure, amounted to approximately 2.7 million crowns. The total costs of the project, which also included other related activities, were about 3.5 million crowns. The Pardubice Region contributed 1.5 million crowns to it. Additional funds came from the association's partners and its own resources.

The Celtic Land Open-Air Museum in Nasavrky has been open to the public since 2016. According to the original concept, it consists of six courtyards dedicated to various crafts. One of the inspirations is the Celtic oppidum near Česká Lhotece, the only known one in Eastern Bohemia. The open-air museum is expanding with additional buildings, most recently, a druid's sanctuary two years ago. The Boii association has previously established, for example, the Celtic Trail through the Iron Mountains in the surrounding area.