In Hradec Králové, celebrations for the 700th anniversary of the local cathedral have begun

Hradec Králové, October 3 - In Hradec Králové, the year-long celebrations of the 700th anniversary of the founding of the local Cathedral of the Holy Spirit began today. The event was inaugurated with the opening of the renovated so-called royal antechamber and the unveiling of the busts of the Czech queens Eliška Rejčka and Eliška Pomořanská. The brick Gothic cathedral is one of the most significant monuments in Hradec Králové.
"The busts of both queens in the royal antechamber will serve as a permanent reminder of their merits for the temple and the city," said Jan Doskočil, chairman of the civic association Cathedral 2008, to ČTK. Hradec Králové was a dowry city for queens, and it was during the time of Eliška Rejčka in 1308 that the construction of the temple began, while the cathedral was at the peak of its glory during the stay of Eliška Pomořanská in Hradec Králové.
The renovated antechamber, through which the monarch or queen entered the cathedral for worship, will not be the only improvement to the cathedral. By Christmas, repairs to the stained glass windows, which date back to the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, should be completed. "The repair, including the painting of the cathedral, will cost about 12 million crowns," said Doskočil.
The main celebrations of the cathedral, featuring a series of events, are planned for next year. One of the most important events will be the exhibition From Temple to Cathedral, which will open in May at the Museum of East Bohemia. The highlight of the celebrations will be the September Festival of Queen Eliška. A several-day exhibition of the oldest documents related to the cathedral and Hradec Králové is scheduled for October. The celebrations are patronized by President Václav Klaus and his wife Livia, who also attended today's event.
The three-nave cathedral with 40-meter-high towers has had a tumultuous history. The temple has burned down several times, and during the 17th century, it was significantly devastated by the Swedes during their stay in Hradec Králové. A complete renovation of the cathedral took place in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Among the valuable artifacts of the temple are a container for the Eucharist from the late 15th century and a tin Gothic baptismal font from 1406. Four bells are hung in the towers of the cathedral.