The train station Martinice is a monument, confirmed the minister

Martinice in the Krkonošsko Mountains (Semilsko) - The area of the Martinice train station in the Krkonošsko Mountains, with an electromechanical signaling system, is a cultural monument. Last year's decision by the Ministry of Culture was confirmed by Minister Daniel Herman (KDU-ČSL). The Ministry's spokesperson Simona Cigánková informed ČTK today. The Railway Administration (SŽDC), which is preparing the modernization of the station, had objections to the declaration as a monument.

According to the ministry, the Martinice station is authentically preserved evidence of the historical development of railway transport in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Railway Administration wanted to replace the manually controlled signals and switches with an automatic system. According to the regional director of SŽDC in Hradec Králové, Vladimír Filip, the declaration of the station as a monument will mean significant changes to the planned project and will likely increase its cost. "We will have to adjust to ensure that the monument complies with current legislation; this station probably won’t be able to have classic platform edges or barrier-free access as we planned," Filip told ČTK.

According to Cigánková, the declaration as a cultural monument should not impede regular operations or a sensitively executed reconstruction to ensure safe operations of the area. "In this case, the heritage protection authorities must primarily meet legitimate requirements for ensuring the safety of railway transport, which stem from the relevant regulations," she stated. "It is in the interest of state heritage protection that the railway station area continues to serve its original purpose, as this will ensure its maintenance and further viability as a cultural monument," she added.

The station was built in 1871 according to the design of architect Carlo Schlimp, who is also the author of the former Prague - Těšnov station. Martinice now has a unique collection of predominantly historical buildings in a unified railway architectural style, with a large number of authentic details. "In the Czech Republic, this station is very valuable from a heritage perspective as it includes a fully functional electromechanical signaling system that operates reliably and safely based on the original fundamental principles, with departure and entry signals including distant signals, and a completely unique set of mechanical shunting signals," the ministry spokesperson stated. There are only 11 mechanical shunting signals left in the Czech Republic, four of which are located in Martinice.