The rare Znojmo rotunda is receiving a new roof these days

Znojmo - The unique Romanesque rotunda of Saint Catherine in Znojmo, one of the oldest architectural monuments in the Czech Republic, is currently receiving a new roof. The new fired tile roofing with patina has replaced the inappropriate shingles that have protected the ceiling with exceptionally valuable frescoes since the mid-20th century. The costs exceed three million crowns. Representatives of the city of Znojmo, which owns the rotunda, and the South Moravian Region, which contributed to the repairs with a subsidy, informed journalists about this today.
"The appearance of the new roof will be adapted to the monumental significance of the building, and the roofing will reliably protect the historically valuable paintings," stated the spokesperson for the city of Znojmo, Anna Maixnerová. Heritage protectors supervised the execution of all details of the roof. For instance, during the metalwork, workers used lead sheets.
The rotunda was protected during the repairs by a temporary structure, which prevented wind, rain, and hail from damaging the interior of the object. It had to be anchored in a special way, as the heritage protectors did not want the scaffolding to touch the walls. At the end of August, the structure will disappear, and citizens and visitors of Znojmo will once again see the ancient building in all its beauty.
The rotunda of Saint Catherine was built in the first half of the 11th century as part of the castle of Prince Břetislav from the Přemyslid dynasty, which had a seat in Znojmo for one of the so-called duchies. Prince Konrád II. had the rotunda decorated with paintings in the 12th century on the occasion of his marriage to the daughter of the Serbian king. The Romanesque frescoes have a religious and secular part and depict, for example, the legend of the calling of Přemysl the Plowman to the throne. According to experts, they are a valuable historical testimony and their artistic significance transcends the borders of the country.
After the decline in the significance of Znojmo and the sale of the Znojmo castle in 1710, the chapel began to fall into disrepair. Gradually, it served as a storage room, a tavern with a dance hall, a basket-making workshop, and probably even as a pigsty. The frescoes were forgotten and significantly damaged, with the first restorations occurring at the end of the 19th century. The object was long hidden in the brewery area, but in 2000 the city established a new access road.