Šternberk Castle is preparing for renovation with Norwegian funds

Šternberk (Olomouc Region) - Šternberk Castle is one of the few heritage sites applying for grants from Norwegian funds, which are part of the EU funding sources. If the castle is successful with its application, it will undergo the most significant construction modifications since the last reconstruction during the Liechtenstein era. Out of 109 sites under the state administration of the National Heritage Institute, only six are applying for Norwegian grants, said the castle's curator Helena Gottwaldová.
    The Renaissance entrance gate and the buildings in the outer and inner courtyard, such as the former Clock Museum, should be repaired. "In the inner courtyard, we would like to present the torture law. We have rich documents for this, including the torture register and other furnishings.
    The repair would also involve the former apartment of the painter Vojkůvka, where there used to be a jail," explained Gottwaldová. The ancient elevator that the Liechtensteins had built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries should also be reconstructed. "That was when the last reconstruction occurred. They also brought water and electricity to the castle. The first floor was opened to the public, and they used the elevator to travel to the second floor, where they lived," said the curator. The elevator with a wooden cabin broke down in the 1950s and has been out of service since. According to Gottwaldová, the original engine room is a technical unique feature.
    The Liechtensteins had a round tower bricked up at the castle. This year, archaeological research should continue there.
    Norwegian money should also be used to complete the renovation of the wallpapers and the repair of the Liechtenstein kitchen, which could become the starting point for a new tour route.
    Gottwaldová stated that the management of the castle has been preparing a repair costing 19 million crowns for two years. They want 13 million from the Norwegian funds. "As a state object, we cannot access other funds; this is one of the few options for us," she said. The state and the National Heritage Institute would cover the remaining costs.
    The tourist season will be opened in Šternberk with an Easter market on March 22. This year, around thirty events are planned for visitors. The city contributed 130,000 crowns for them. Among these, there will be an exhibition on the history of clothing in noble interiors and the introduction of horseback rides.