Next year, the repair of the framework and roof of the church in Štolmíř, in the Kolín region, could begin

photo: Heritage Catalog NPÚ

Český Brod (Kolínsko) – The dilapidated Baroque church of St. Havel in Štolmíř in the Kolín region could see its first repairs next year. The project for the complete reconstruction of the truss and roof is finished and received a binding opinion from the heritage officials in December. Repairs costing eight to ten million crowns could be carried out in stages. The church wants to continue negotiations with the town of Český Brod, of which Štolmíř is a part. The town had previously considered taking ownership of one of the most significant Baroque monuments in the region. Miloš Hercog stated this on behalf of the Archdiocese of Prague.

The repair aims to address the unsatisfactory truss that is pushing on the arch construction. "The project had to be revised, but since early December we have a positive binding statement from the heritage officials, which is great news," Hercog said. According to him, this was a condition for further negotiations with the town, which could take over the management of the church.

Also important, according to Hercog, is that the proposed repairs can be done in stages, for example, with annual costs of one million crowns, which could be gradually obtained from cultural ministry grants. "The parish does not use the church, or uses it minimally due to the number of parishioners. But for the town, it could be an interesting space," Hercog believes. He plans to meet with the town representatives at the beginning of next year.

Český Brod has previously initiated a public collection for the church repairs. More than 200,000 crowns raised will cover the costs of project documentation. Whether the town will take over the church must be decided by the representatives, according to Mayor Tomáš Klinecký (Lepší Brod). "It is a central space in Štolmíř and a dominant feature of that part of the town; it has cultural and community significance, but of course it is also a significant commitment," Klinecký said.

For many years, the non-profit organization M’am’aloca has been striving to save the church, organizing charity and cultural events there. According to the director of the organization, Jiří Stuchl, another management option for the church is also a foundation, which he plans to establish. "The foundation should at least be the custodian, if not the entity that gets things moving. We have also prepared a plan on how to achieve this, whether with the help of the endangered monuments fund from the Ministry of Culture or by preparing applications to the Norwegian funds," Stuchl told ČTK.

The church of St. Havel is one of the most significant Baroque churches in the Central Bohemia region. In 1756, the original interior furnishings of the pilgrimage church of St. Prokop in the Sázava Monastery were transferred here, such as pulpits, benches, and organs. The significantly damaged Baroque organ from 1688 was created by Johann Heinrich Mundt. It is the third most valuable organ in the Czech Republic and one of the two preserved instruments of this organ builder. Among the churches managed by the Český Brod parish, the church in Štolmíř is in the worst condition, having undergone its last major reconstruction in 1935.