The reconstruction will close the Ležáky Memorial, outdoor tours will remain

Miřetice - The Ležáky Memorial in Chrudim will be out of operation for an estimated two years due to reconstruction and preparation of a new exhibition. Construction work is expected to start in May. The monument, which is a protected building, dates back to 1971 and is in need of essential repairs. The outdoor visitor operation will be maintained by the organization. This was stated by Jana Chourová Plachá, deputy director of the Lidice Memorial.

The memorial was opened in 1971 and underwent its last major reconstruction in 2008 when it came under the management of the Lidice Memorial. "The roof is a major problem. It's completely on the edge. There are significant heat losses. Regarding the electrical installation, various devices are gradually being added, and the current electrical network is struggling to cope. Furthermore, for example, we have no sanitary facilities at all," said Kamila Chvojková, head of the Ležáky Memorial.

The state-funded organization has received a grant of 18 million crowns from the Ministry of Culture for the reconstruction. More money will be needed to restore the exhibition. The construction work will last about 11 months, and additional time will be required for the preparation of the exhibition part. According to Chourová Plachá, the building will thus be out of operation for approximately two years.

"The reconstruction is necessary because the building has long been struggling with inadequate sanitary conditions and also with conditions that do not allow for the proper exhibition of collection items," Chourová Plachá said.

In addition to the roof, the construction company will focus on building air conditioning to provide heating and air treatment in the museum. They will also construct restrooms and facilities for staff. "Due to heritage protection, however, it will not be possible to intervene in the interior completely freely. For example, the original granite wall cladding, ceiling lights, and the mosaic located in the frontal part of the building must remain preserved," said Chourová Plachá.

The construction reconstruction will be followed by work on the new exhibition. It aims to emphasize and highlight the original architectural elements. "The exhibition will be sensitively integrated into this environment, and at the same time, the entire space is to be adjusted to make it more practical for operations. Among other goals, it is to create more suitable conditions for school groups, for which there is currently not enough space in the building, and to increase the variability of the space, for example, for cultural events," said Chourová Plachá.

During the reconstruction, the stone building will be out of operation. This year's and next season, the memorial will focus on guided tours of the complex and will also preserve commemorative events for the anniversary of the burning of Ležáky. The memorial site is a national cultural monument and commemorates the village that was burned by the Germans in June 1942 in retaliation for the assassination of the acting Reich Protector Reinhard Heydrich. In the Ležáky tragedy, 51 villagers died, and only two children survived.