The castle in Fulnek was auctioned for 10.8 million

Fulnek (Novojíčínsko) May 27 (ČTK) - The castle in Fulnek in the Novojičínsko region was auctioned today for 10.8 million crowns. The starting price was eight million, according to an expert, the value of the landmark of the six-thousand-strong town is 15 million crowns. The new owner has so far not wished to disclose his name or his intentions for the monument-protected area; the payment must be made within two months.
    Two interested parties fought for the area in the auction. The previous owner of the castle was the Fulnek Forest Management, which is owned by Rostislav Špaček. The castle was obtained through restitution and he began reconstruction. However, he does not have the funds for maintenance and further repairs of the monument.
    "Although it is private property, the castle is certainly not indifferent to us as a landmark of Fulnek. I personally believe that if it gets a skilled owner who knows how to invest in it, it could mean new job opportunities for the town," recently said the mayor of Fulnek, Josef Dubec.
    The castle complex is located northeast of the historical core of the town. It consists of two parts - the Upper Castle and the younger, so-called Lower Castle. Its current appearance emerged in the early 19th century after a major fire. There was likely a Gothic castle in the area as early as the 13th century, which was reconstructed into a two-story Renaissance castle in the 16th century.
    According to experts, similar areas are usually difficult to sell. This is evidenced by the baroque castle in Kupařovice near Brno, which has been auctioned several times and each time unsuccessfully. Some other properties have also been on the listings of real estate agencies for a relatively long time. The possibilities for their use are not great; some castles can be converted into hotels, but that is not always an appealing investment.