Repairs will close the Bono publico staircase in the center of Hradec

Hradec Králové - Hradec Králové will begin the second phase of the challenging renovation of the covered staircase Bono publico in the historical center of the city next week. The Empire-style building from 1810 is listed as a cultural monument. The historic staircase will be closed from Monday, August 6, as reported by Michal Komárek from the mayor's office to ČTK. The total costs for the renovation of the monument are nearly 23 million crowns.

"The closure will last until the winter construction break, and work will continue in the spring of 2019. During the renovations, people will be able to use the nearby staircase at the regional office or Gočár's staircase, located about 150 meters in the other direction towards the medical school," said Komárek.

The second phase of the renovation was originally supposed to start this past spring, but it got delayed due to complications in obtaining a building permit.

In the second phase of renovations, the stair treads will be completely replaced, just like the originals, meaning they will be made of oak. Archaeologists will also uncover masonry and foundations from the outer sides of the building, allowing for further restoration of the monument. According to the city hall, further delays in construction are not excluded. Builders will also apply new internal and external plaster to the staircase, install new windows in the tambours above the landings, replace copper coverings on the roofs and cornices, and lay new sandstone and granite paving. They will also make landscaping around the area, provide lighting and sound systems for the building. They will have a number of other remediation works and measures against moisture ahead of them. To prevent the staircase from becoming a target for vandals, a camera system connected to the municipal police will be installed there.

Last autumn, builders treated the staircase masonry with desalination plasters and embedded special technology against rising water from the ground, known as electroosmosis. This year's repairs will last as long as the weather permits. In winter, the staircase might be opened to the public again.

The Bono publico staircase, which has 70 steps, is characterized by three towers built above three landings. Originally, it connected the city with the then barracks of the Hradec fortress. Today, it forms a busy link between the old town and the area of secondary and higher education schools.

Last year's work on the staircase cost the city treasury 2.36 million crowns, while the second phase has a budget of nearly 20.5 million crowns. The city will cover most of the costs from its own budget, and it has a promise of a subsidy from the Ministry of Culture amounting to approximately 2.3 million crowns.