The Constitutional Court has completed the renovation of the Chamber hall

Brno - The Constitutional Court has completed the reconstruction of the assembly hall and two meeting rooms, costing 80 million crowns, more than was expected. The assembly was closed for more than a year. The court announced rulings in temporary premises. The first event in the restored spaces is today's ceremonial gathering for the 100th anniversary of Czechoslovakia and 25 years of the Czech Constitutional Court.

The builders and restorers have returned the assembly hall as close as possible to its original appearance from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Notable features include polished plaster that imitates marble. The hall also has new furnishings, especially benches for judges and the public.

Above the judges' seats, there is a view into the western gallery, previously covered by a heavy curtain. "The space served as a storage room," said František Konečný, the court administration director, to ČTK and Czech Radio. Now the western gallery is separated from the assembly by a glass wall.

Craftsmen also attended to all wooden and metal elements, stuccoes, decorative paintings, as well as the floors and the illuminated ceiling. The spaces of the balconies, the foyer, and adjacent smaller meeting rooms have been redesigned. Work was completed in October.

The Constitutional Court is located in the building of the former Provincial House of Estates, which is an architecturally valuable reminder of Moravian self-governance from the 1870s. In recent years, it has been undergoing gradual reconstruction. The building now has a new façade.

Renovations of the historically protected building could be completed in 2023 or 2024. "But that is a very optimistic assumption," Konečný stated. There are several reasons - besides heritage protection, there is the condition of the building, the situation in the construction work market, and the fact that the court finances ongoing repairs from its regular annual budget.