At Boží Dar, the Church of St. Anne has reopened after reconstruction

Boží Dar – The Church of St. Anne was opened to the public today in Boží Dar after several years of reconstruction. The church, which was in very poor condition before the renovation, was successfully reconstructed thanks to a cross-border grant. However, not everything could be completed; the city wants to continue restoring the interior church decor in the coming years, said Boží Dar Mayor Jan Horník (STAN) to ČTK today.

"We closed the church in the autumn of 2018 and handed it over to filmmakers who were shooting there. And just before Christmas, when they finished, we handed the church over to the construction company, which began work that spring," Horník described.

The repair of the church was one part of a joint project with the German municipality of Breitenbrunn. However, when Jáchymov, with its Latin library, was added to the project, Boží Dar and Breitenbrunn lost part of the originally promised grant. Thus, funds for restoration work on the interior could not be secured. These are gradually being carried out thanks to a grant from the Karlovy Vary Region, but the city believes that it will be able to raise some money from donations as well.

The reconstruction costs were approximately 42 million crowns, of which 85 percent came from the cross-border grant. The subsequent restoration work cost about 4.4 million crowns.

The church underwent a reconstruction practically from the foundations to the roof. The trusses were infested with wood rot, and the stone floor allowed moisture to penetrate. During the repair, the entire floor was removed, and an underfloor heating system, which draws heat from a heat pump, was installed underneath. The church is therefore prepared for cultural events throughout the year. The interior is equipped with audio technology and a projection screen, so concerts or film screenings can also be held there.

Details on how the church will be opened to the public will be specified later. The church, located in the center of the highest town in the Czech Republic, is certainly one of the town's attractions, and even today a large number of passing tourists came to see it.