Karlovy Vary will repair the elevator to the Castle Tower this year

Karlovy Vary - Karlovy Vary will repair and also put into operation the high-speed lift this year, which in the past transported visitors to the historic Castle Tower. The city already has a building permit, including the agreement of conservationists, and actual work is expected to begin within two weeks. The first people are expected to use the lift around November. The costs of reconstructing the lift and the shaft along the rock massif are preliminarily estimated at around 12 million crowns. CTK was informed by Deputy Mayor Tomáš Hybner.
    The lift from the Market Colonnade has been out of service for over 30 years. However, the original equipment, including the machine room, has been preserved on site. The old technology can no longer be used and will be replaced with new. The original machine room could be preserved as a small technical museum. The old shaft will remain in its original form; however, it will undergo a complete reconstruction, noted the deputy. "After the lift is operational, we will also open the Castle Tower. It will house a gallery, a wax figure museum, and also a café," Hybner stated.
    In the coming years, the city is also expected to modify the rock massif in the area between the Market Colonnade and the Castle Tower. The study counts on the creation of an exceptional Rock Colonnade and the revitalization of the entire location. The wooden historical shops forming the Market Colonnade should also be repaired. They are infested with wood rot and are at risk of destruction. "The goal of the project is to create a completely new promenade space while revitalizing the neglected area on the rock terraces below the Castle Tower," added Hybner.
    The Castle Tower stands on the site where, according to legend, a guard castle was built between 1370 and 1376, the establishment of which is attributed to Charles IV. On its ruins, a town watchtower was built in 1608, which gradually took on its current form. In 2001, the city commissioned static stabilization of the outer walls, repair of the roof structure, replacement of the roofing, and ceremonial lighting of the tower for approximately 4.5 million crowns.