Thanks to a subsidy from the City of Brno, the church will be able to make renovations, expected to be finished by 2024. Credit: Freepik
Brno, Dec 9 (BD) – One of Brno’s famous gothic churches, dating back to the 13th century, is to undergo a renovation, thanks to a subsidy granted by the Czech government. In December 2020, St. Jakub’s Church received CZK 112 million from the EU’s Integrated Regional Operational Program in late 2020. However, due to the rising costs of the repairs, the actual amount will be more than CZK 130 million. The City of Brno will contribute an extra CZK 10 million to finance the project. An additional cost agreed by the City of Brno and the parish is a new viewpoint on the church’s 96-meter tower, which will be open to the public on the second floor, 42 meters above ground.
“Many places on the exterior, often those that are not visible at first glance, are in very poor condition, and reconstruction is therefore needed,” said Jan Pacner, St Jakub’s parish priest. The main focus of the renovations are the roofing, trusses and facade, along with other minor features. Additional repairs include a depository for storage, restoration of the organ, new interior lighting installments, and digitized cultural monuments.
“St. Jakub’s Church is a Brno landmark, and a frequent popular destination not only for Brno residents but also for tourists. Therefore, it is in the interest of the city to participate in the restoration of this national cultural monument.” said First Deputy Mayor Petr Hladík (KDU-CSL).
The touristic value of the church is very high, as it hosts many valuable historical and cultural pieces, such as the aforementioned organ, which dates back to the 17th century. One of the principal reasons the church is so famous is its ossuary, which is the second largest in Europe, holding over 50,000 remains.
Visitors will have to wait until late 2023 at the earliest for the repairs to be finished.
