Klatovy - Klatovy are preparing a reconstruction of the former Jesuit seminary beneath the square for up to 300 million crowns. It is the last building in the historic center that needs repair. The city is discussing its form and the use of the monument with heritage conservationists, councilors, and residents, said mayor Rudolf Salvetr (ODS) to ČTK. The project is currently being designed, and construction could begin in a year. The city is negotiating grants, without which the restoration will not proceed.
The Baroque three-winged building dates back to the first half of the 18th century. According to heritage conservationists, it is part of a unique Jesuit complex, the center of Baroque cultural and social life in the city. A city wall and ramparts lead through the courtyard. According to Salvetr, Klatovy will strive to have the entire Jesuit complex designated as a national cultural monument in the future.
"An architectural competition has taken place, and the winning firm is preparing a detailed project. It should be completed in a few months. A series of seminars is underway with councilors, who will have to decide on such a fundamental investment, as well as with the public," the mayor stated. The seminary is, according to Salvetr, the last building in the heritage zone that needs to be repaired.
If everything goes well, its restoration could begin in a year, according to Salvetr. "And considering that the Jesuit complex has been under renovation for 30 years, it would be great if we could complete the seminary in four to five years," he said. The church has been repaired, which belongs to the church, and the extensive college building, including the refectory, which mainly serves as a library today, thus functioning as an educational institution like in the past. Klatovy has already invested hundreds of millions of crowns into the complex. The councilors decided on its restoration in 1995.
"The investment in the seminary will be in the lower hundreds of millions of crowns, around 300 million. We definitely cannot finance it from our own sources; we do not want to stop investments in roads, schools, and other areas," said the mayor.
According to deputy mayor and regional councilor for economics Pavel Strolený (ANO), the original St. Joseph's seminary is being adapted into a multifunctional space called Josefinum, which will also include the revitalization of the courtyard and surroundings as well as parking. "Architects are preparing everything so that a tender for the contractors can be announced. We would be happy if construction could start as early as 2026. But first, we need to know how it will be financed and who will contribute. We are negotiating with the Ministry of Culture, looking for funding from the IROP program, and the Plzeň Region should also participate, as it will add further attractiveness to the region," Strolený stated. According to the councilor, one-third of the building would be used by the regional Gallery of Katovy / Klenová for exhibitions.
"Right now, there is nothing in the seminary. Since the army handed it over, there was a soda factory and other unviable projects in the 90s, then it was briefly turned into social housing, but the costs to make them operational were outrageous," Strolený noted.
The city is currently preparing to launch a tender for contractors, doing hydrogeological surveys and other necessary tasks related to the heritage site, Salvetr mentioned.
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