The Jakub foundry in Tasic celebrated 220 years since its establishment over the weekend

Bělá (Havlíčkobrodsko) - The heritage-protected glassworks Jakub in Tasic celebrated its 220th anniversary over the weekend. The program featuring demonstrations of hand-made glassmaking and tours attracted 1,200 visitors to the glassmaking open-air museum just on Saturday, said owner František Milichovský to ČTK. Former employees of the glassworks were also invited to this occasion.

The glassworks in Tasic was founded in 1796 by master glassmaker Ferdinand Čapek. It gained public attention thanks to the television series by Jaroslav Dietl “Sons and Daughters of Jakub the Glassmaker,” which was filmed there in 1985. Two years ago, the glassworks was declared a national cultural monument.

Working at the mobile glass furnace over the weekend were artistic glassmakers Radek Kislinger, Miroslav Liederhaus, and Zdeněk Kunc, while Ivana Vorlíčková demonstrated glass painting to visitors. Demonstrations of grinding were provided by former employees of the glassworks.

“We would like to continue doing demonstration production at the mobile furnace in the future,” Milichovský stated. Although it looks like the glassmakers have just left the melting hall, it is not feasible to operate the large furnace here for these purposes. It would be too expensive and would encounter numerous technical issues, he said.

This year, repairs of the facade of the generator building and the inner plastering of the melting hall were completed at the glassworks. “The critical period in terms of whether the glassworks would collapse or not was mainly after 2002,” Milichovský noted. The closed glassworks decayed for two years before it was sold. Private owners then conducted rescue work with financial support from the Ministry of Culture and the region amounting to four million crowns.

The oldest manor house is still awaiting renovation. Milichovský is now preparing a project for European funds, the realization of which would allow this building to be opened to the public as well. Exhibitions, creative workshops, and other programs are planned to encourage people to return to Tasic. The glassmaking open-air museum currently attracts around 5,500 visitors each year. It is open year-round. Details can be found on the website.