The book Santini maps the life and work of the significant architect

Prague - On Friday, a book mapping the life and work of the significant architect of Czech and European history, Jan Blažej Santini Aichel, was presented at the headquarters of the Ministry of Culture in the Nostitz Palace. The publication, released by the civic association "Journey for Santini," covers chapters of Santini's life, his most significant buildings, and a complete list of all his works. The publication has been released in both Czech and English versions.
    "As far as I know, there is no foreign language version of the book about Santini, yet his work arouses interest among foreign tourists and visitors," stated the author of the book and chairman of the civic association, Stanislav Růžička.
    The author of the photographs for the book, Santini Vladimír Kunc, mentioned that, for example, photographing the stairs created by Santini was a pleasure for him due to the 'beautiful lines.'
    The ceremonial morning included lectures by Professor Jan Royt and Doctor Richard Biegel on Santini. Among the guests were Cardinal Dominik Duka and Minister of Culture Daniel Herman (KDU-ČSL), among others. "Santini was able to connect different styles, and today it is essential to connect what can be connected," said Herman.
    The publication of the book is one of the activities of the association "Journey for Santini," which aims to popularize the work of this significant architect. For several years, experts from the association have been engaged in lecturing and educational activities, organizing trips and excursions in the footsteps of Santini's life. "Following the example of foreign activities, we will attempt to include the entirety of Santini’s work on the list of cultural monuments of the Czech Republic and subsequently for its inscription among the monuments of European heritage or directly for entry on the UNESCO list," Růžička stated. He reminded that in 2023, it will be 300 years since Santini's birth.
    Santini, the creator of a style now referred to as Baroque Gothic, lived from 1677 to 1723. Almost eighty of his preserved buildings are scattered across several regions of today's Czech Republic. In recent years, there has been a significant revival of interest in Santini's work. Among his most notable works are the pilgrimage church on Zelená Hora near Žďár nad Sázavou, which is on the UNESCO list, the monastery church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, St. Wolfgang, and St. Benedict in Kladruby in Plzeň Region, as well as the monastery church and ossuary in Sedlec near Kutná Hora.