NPÚ has launched a campaign to protect endangered monuments

Ostrava - former city slaughterhouse

Prague - The National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) has launched a media campaign to protect endangered monuments. NPÚ has over 700 of them on its list. Plans include lectures in Prague and regions, tours of endangered monuments, and presentations. The campaign builds on a previous media campaign from last autumn, when NPÚ focused on industrial monuments. Miloš Solař, the guarantor of the current campaign, told journalists today that among the most endangered monuments are groups of buildings in abandoned settlements, such as churches, chapels, synagogues, as well as granaries, farm buildings, stables, summerhouses, or fortresses.
    "The campaign consists of bringing the public's attention to endangered monuments, to the fact that there are objects that require our attention and care," said NPÚ director Naďa Goryczková to ČTK. The goal is to draw attention primarily to lesser-known monuments that are also deteriorating due to human indifference. NPÚ reportedly lacks sufficient tools for effective protection and hopes that public support will help.
    The National Heritage Institute can resort to filing a criminal complaint as a last option for protecting monuments, for example, in situations where an owner acts inappropriately toward the monument. According to Goryczková, this happens only rarely. Declaring deteriorating objects as cultural monuments for specific purposes is also not suitable. The director emphasized that municipalities and their residents would also play a significant role in the protection of monuments. Without their pressure, the institute cannot do much, the director added.