From the Roudnice Brewery, there will be a social and cultural center

Roudnice nad Labem (Litoměřice District) - A new community and cultural center for the city is expected to be created from the former brewery in Roudnice nad Labem. Roudnice has already begun repairing the originally Baroque structure, with a provisional roof over a significant part of it. As Roudnice's mayor Vladimir Urban (Together for Roudnice) said to ČTK today, the city paid 4.5 million CZK for it and requested a grant from the Ústí nad Labem Region and the Ministry of Culture.
    "A large multifunctional hall is expected to be created in the brewery, as well as a microbrewery and a small brewery museum. Next to the Lobkowicz Castle, another cultural venue serving citizens and visitors of our city will be established," said Urban. The residents of Roudnice are inspired by similar historical buildings in other cities that today serve modern purposes. An example might be the Gothic Castle in nearby Litoměřice.
    However, a long road lies ahead; the damaged building currently only has a provisional roof and a repaired retaining wall, which was in a state of emergency. The builders chose this option because restoring the roof in its original shape requires a technically demanding and costly solution, which will be addressed only at the end of the reconstruction. Gradually, rubble is being removed from the building, and the interiors are being cleared, after which the building will need to be dried out. The city intends to finance further reconstruction from grants, which it will gradually apply for in line with the prepared project documentation.
    It was close that the historical building no longer existed. In 2010, the then city leadership, despite not being the owner of the building at the time, had the original Baroque trusses demolished, and the rest of the building began to be destroyed by natural elements. According to the organizers of the petition to save the brewery, Roudnice paid 3.8 million CZK for the removal of the roof and other modifications to secure the safety of the building. Resistance to the demolition of the building and its replacement with garages was mainly represented by the civic association Esprit.
    The city regained ownership of the brewery in the spring of 2012 when it purchased it from an American investor. The protected monument was acquired by Roudnice in 1996, but plans for its use fell through, and the premises deteriorated. The brewery became the subject of enforcement proceedings, and at auction, it was returned to the city as the only bidder at the starting price of 3.3 million CZK. The city wanted to sell it again in the autumn of 2012, but did not find a suitable buyer. "One interested party came forward, but no concrete negotiations occurred because they did not present any plans," Urban said. The city then began the preservation of the monument.
    The brewery was built in the 90s of the 17th century by the Italian builder Antonio Porta. Since the 1960s, when the local soda factory ceased operations, the premises have been abandoned.