Hořice has completed the project for the reconstruction of the Masaryk Tower

Hořice - The town of Hořice in the Jičín region has completed its project for obtaining a building permit for the completion of the Masaryk Independence Tower. The project indicates that the costs should be around 18 million crowns. By next spring, the town intends to announce a competition for a construction firm, so that construction can begin in 2019. The opening of the completed tower could take place on October 28, 2020. Martin Pour (Hořice Patriots), the deputy mayor of Hořice, told ČTK.

The Independence Tower began construction on Hořický Chlum above Hořice on July 10, 1926, and the cornerstone was laid by President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk. By 1938, the tower had been built to a height of 25 meters, after which construction was halted. Now, the tower should be completed according to the original project by architect František Blažek to the previously planned height of 40 meters. Talks about completing the tower in Hořice began more than a year ago.

The financing for the completion is largely secured for the town of Hořice, which has a population of nine thousand. The Hradec Králové Region will contribute six million crowns to the completion of the tower, and Hořice are counting on the same amount in their budget. According to Pour, the city plans to obtain the remaining funds from various institutions, including heritage protection, the ministries of regional development, culture, and defense. “A public collection among citizens and companies is also planned. Tourists were the first to contribute to the construction,” said Pour.

The tower is built of sandstone, and the ground floor contains a museum and a memorial hall with the names of war victims from the Hořice region. At the top, there is an observation platform that offers a view of the Krkonoš mountains. The top of the tower is covered with an astronomical dome. On the side wings of the building, there are patriotic reliefs depicting, for example, the battles of the legions during World War I. The tower has been a cultural monument since 2014.

According to Pour, a significant part of the documentation for the selection of the contractor for the completion is already completed. “Ninety percent of it concerns the stone elements, which we already have drawn out in individual blocks,” he stated.

According to Pour, the completion of the tower carries great symbolism and a strong story at the time of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia, of which there are not many in the Czech Republic. Officials from the Hradec Králové Region believe that the completion of the tower will represent a symbolic connection between the First Republic and the present time. The region believes that the completed tower will become a significant tourist destination.