The Vysočina Region wants to contribute one million crowns to the renovation of the Jaroměřice church

Jihlava – The Vysočina Region Council will recommend the assembly to approve the allocation of one million crowns to the parish in Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou in the Třebíč region for part of the work related to the reconstruction of the Baroque church of Saint Margaret. The total cost of the repairs is approximately 112 million crowns. The parish has received a European grant for the renovation but needs to ensure its own share of about eighteen million crowns. Representatives of the region said this to reporters today.

"We had all the councilors (of the Vysočina Region) here for a tour. The governor (Vítězslav Schrek) was also here. They were pleased to see what a technologically amazing, professional restoration such an important monument is undergoing," said the Jaroměřice parish priest Tomáš Holcner.

According to him, the regional funds will be used to cover the costs associated with the repair of the southern tower, which will serve as an observation tower. "This is money that will go into tourism infrastructure," Holcner said. Among other things, it will cover the repair of the clock face, facade, and refurbishment of the jalousie windows in the observation floor.

People can support the church renovation through a public collection via the bank account number 295281857/0300. Currently, there are approximately 676,000 crowns in the account.

During the renovation, the church is inaccessible to the public. Services are held in the parish courtyard. "Losing a church is like losing a family home," Holcner said. The inability to hold ceremonies, according to him, is especially felt by people during funerals. "The older ones cried to me, saying, let's hope we live to see it (open)," Holcner said.

The renovation of the church, which is a national cultural monument, began in the autumn of 2019 and is expected to finish in 2022. About 40 people are working at the construction site daily, according to Holcner. Electricians are currently installing new electrical wiring. The restorers are working on extensive fresco decorations inside the church, which had significant cracks. Builders are also working on the roof structure and facade of the southern tower, and preparations are underway for the repair of its staircase.

A fundamental repair has already been completed on the wooden dome of the church topped with a lantern. About 30 cubic meters of wood had to be replaced.

The church of Saint Margaret is one of the first Baroque churches in Moravia. Its dominant feature is a massive dome adorned from the inside with a fresco covering approximately 600 square meters. It was created by Karel František Tepper. The church, the construction of which was commissioned to Jakub Prandtauer, was consecrated in 1738. After the repairs, the church, previously red and white, will regain its original ochre color, which had also been returned to the adjacent castle years ago. The renovation also includes the restoration of the southern terrace.

The renovation of the Jaroměřice church won first place in May in the regional poll "Golden Ash Tree" in the category of cultural heritage care.