The repair of the Kutná Hora Cathedral is nearing completion

Kutná Hora - The second phase of the extensive reconstruction of St. Barbara's Cathedral, one of the most visited monuments in Kutná Hora and central Bohemia, is nearing completion. This year, the repair of the nave's facade will be completed, and next year specialists will move to the middle part of the western facade. The first reconstruction of the cathedral after 100 years is set to culminate in the planned interior repairs, said Dagmar Fundová to ČTK, who oversees the technical supervision of the construction.
    The repair of the cathedral began five years ago. In the first phase, the roof, trusses, and part of the slate roofing shingles were repaired. In the second phase, the workers are restoring the facade of the cathedral. The total cost has been 220 million crowns. The church, the state, the city, and the Central Bohemia Region contributed to the repairs.
    This year, artisans will complete the stabilization and restoration of the stone and stained glass in the nave. This will cost 20 million crowns. "Next year, the middle part of the western facade remains, which will cost about ten million crowns, and we are currently diligently searching for that," Fundová added.
    At the same time, preparations for the repair of the cathedral's interior are underway, which will cost about 115 million crowns. It is necessary to statically secure the vaults of the nave, repair the plaster, reconstruct the electrical wiring, and restore the stone and paintings in the chapels. Part of it should also include the uncovering of new frescoes that were found during exploratory drilling. "Unfortunately, the financial resources that were initially considered in the project's development counted on the use of European funds; today the situation is different, and I think we will not reach European money," Fundová noted.
    St. Barbara's Cathedral was founded in 1388, but its construction was interrupted several times and was completed only after more than 500 years in 1905. For nearly another 100 years, the monument remained unrepaired. The reconstruction began after static engineers alerted to the desperate state of the cathedral and the danger of collapse of part of its support system.