Hořice want to complete the Masaryk Tower of Independence after 80 years

Hořice - The nine-thousand strong Hořice in the Jičín region wants to complete the heritage-protected Masaryk's Tower of Independence for the hundredth anniversary of the establishment of Czechoslovakia. The costs are estimated at more than 15 million crowns. The project has already received six million crowns in support from the Hradec Králové Region. If everything goes smoothly, the completion could ceremonially begin on October 28, 2018, and be finished two years later. Martin Pour, the deputy mayor of Hořice, told ČTK today.

The Tower of Independence began construction on Hořický Chlum above Hořice on July 10, 1926, and President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk was present at the laying of the foundation stone. By 1938, the tower had been built to a height of 25 meters, after which construction stopped. Now, the tower should be completed according to the original design by architect František Blažek to the previously planned height of 40 meters.

The tower is made of sandstone, and in its ground floor, there is a museum and a memorial hall with the names of war victims from Hořice. At the top, there is an observation platform with a view of the panorama of the Krkonoš. The very top of the tower is covered with an astronomical dome. Patriotic reliefs depicting, for example, the battles of the legions during World War I are on the side wings of the building. The tower has been a cultural monument since 2014.

“The completion of Masaryk's Tower of Independence has great symbolism. It is a strong story, of which there are not many in the Czech Republic. It is our duty to complete it,” Pour said. Next week, the Hořice council will discuss the project and its funding. The city should allocate two million crowns from its budget for the next three years for the completion, just like the region. The remaining funds will be sought by the city from donations from various institutions, and it is also considering a fundraising campaign.

The technical solution for the completion will fully respect the original design, including the materials and technologies used. “The very course of the work and especially their outcome will be a great attraction that will enhance not only the city of Hořice itself but the entire surrounding region,” said Pavel Hečko (ČSSD), the regional councilor for regional development.

Next year, the project for reconstruction will be prepared, and by the end of 2018, stonemasons might start preparing individual stones. Major construction work is expected to take place in 2019. The Secondary School of Sculpture and Stoneworking in Hořice, which is established by the Hradec Králové Region, should again participate in the completion.