A stone cross dating from the end of the 19th century has been restored to a position overlooking Brno’s Červený Kopec once again. For several years the cross was located on the site of a former long-term care hospital, and fell into a poor physical condition, but it has now been restored and relocated by the Brno-střed district. Yesterday, the cross was ceremonially unveiled by representatives of the district and the Brno Bishopric.
The cross was an integral part of the hospital building on Červený Kopec, which first housed an infectious diseases hospital and later a long-term care facility, which operated on the site until 2018. The cross was forgotten after the hospital was closed, and was at risk of disappearing during the construction of a new social and health facility. Having been consecrated by Pavel Kafka, the vicar of the Brno diocese, it now stands on a hill above the Kamenna colony, near a popular walking route.
“We therefore decided to restore the cross and preserve this small sacred monument referring to the memory of Červený Kopec for future generations,” said Vojtěch Mencl (ODS), the mayor of the Brno-střed district. “The cross now faces the towers of Petrov Cathedral from the meadow above the Kamenna colony.”
The restoration work was carried out by the company S:LUKAS, which has been working on the artefact since mid-July, to preserve as many original elements as possible. Among them is a German inscription that encourages passers-by to follow the teachings of Christ. The city district paid a total of almost CZK 400,000 for the restoration and installation.
The cross is not the only historic work to be saved recently by the Brno-střed district. Another was the cross from the park area on the corner of Opuštěná and Uhelná, which lies on the future site of the new Brno train station.
