Hradec Králové Region expects to receive a grant for the renovation of Vrbenské Barracks

Hradec Králové - The Hradec Králové Region expects to obtain 500 million crowns from grant sources for the planned reconstruction of the Vrbenské Barracks in the center of Hradec Králové, which will cost three-quarters of a billion crowns. So far, it has succeeded with two projects. The grant from the National Recovery Plan (NPO) is 55 million crowns and from the Integrated Regional Operational Program (IROP) is 25.8 million crowns. Dan Lechmann, the spokesman for the regional council, said this today. The money from the NPO will be used for construction modifications and equipping the spaces of a cultural and creative center that will be established in part of the former military facility. The approved funds from IROP are intended to cover the construction of an archaeological exhibition.

"The region and the museum are looking for additional funding sources for this project, for example, by utilizing European and other funds. They have already succeeded with two projects. The region is applying for two more projects. Overall, there is a real hope that half a billion crowns can be obtained from grant sources," Lechmann stated.

From the NPO chapter designated for the revitalization of brownfields, the region is requesting nearly 230 million crowns. The region intends to use this grant to finance an energy-efficient reconstruction of the Vrbenské Barracks. "We expect that the decision on the allocation of support for the revitalization of brownfields will be made in the second half of this year. Within a few weeks, we plan to apply for a grant of nearly 180 million crowns from IROP2 within the ITI Hradec Králové-Pardubice agglomeration," said Deputy Governor Martina Berdychová (East Bohemians).

The barracks, known as Vrbenské Barracks, are located inside the former military area of Gayer Barracks, opposite the barrack twin that has been reconstructed by the region and currently serves as the main professional facility for the East Bohemian Museum in Hradec Králové. The entire area will gradually transform, in cooperation with the city of Hradec Králové, into a culturally creative campus intended for the public.

"The Vrbenské Barracks building will serve the public as a modern and interactive historical and natural science experiential educational center of the regional Museum of East Bohemia in Hradec Králové. In addition, it will also house a creative center, the so-called Center for Creative Museology of the Hradec Králové Region, as well as the regional digitization center for memory institutions," Lechmann stated.

The creative center will be intended not only for professionals but also for the public. It will operate under the administration and expert management of the regional Museum of East Bohemia.

The region aims to convert the Vrbenské Barracks into a museum and cultural center, where research rooms, natural science exhibitions, lecture halls, and spaces for educating schoolchildren should also be established. The museum also wants to present the city's fortification history there. The project has a valid building permit.

Recently, the region completed the renovation of Gayer Barracks, at a cost of 310 million crowns, which houses the storage facility for the Museum of East Bohemia. The Gayer and Vrbenské Barracks buildings are approximately the same size and are located mirror-like opposite each other within the area. The Vrbenské Barracks were established in the 19th century and have been unused since the 1990s.