Fundraiser for fire-damaged church in Chlum u Třeboně ends, with donations totaling CZK 2.1 million

Chlum u Třeboně – A fundraiser for the Baroque pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Chlum u Třeboně, which was damaged by fire in spring 2024, ends today. Donors from Czechia and Austria have contributed almost 2.1 million Czech crowns, the market town’s mayor, Jitka Bednářová (Your Citizens for the Chlum Area), told the Czech News Agency (ČTK). Some made regular contributions to the transparent bank account, and the largest donation was 100,000 crowns. The fundraiser was launched by the market town, which is providing the money to the Roman Catholic Parish of Chlum u Třeboně, the owner of the historic church. The fire caused 17 million crowns in damage, and repairs have so far cost 4.4 million crowns.

The fire on March 25, 2024, seriously damaged the rare organ and the church’s south aisle, destroying parts of the roof, ceilings and floor. Virtually all the interior furnishings were saved, leaving only heavy contamination with soot and ash. "The statuette of the church’s patron saint, the Virgin Mary with the Child, is temporarily housed in the bishop’s chapel in České Budějovice, and the people of Chlum hope it will soon return to their church," Bednářová said. So far, 1.284 million crowns has been drawn from the transparent account for repairs, with more than 800,000 crowns still available.

"Immediately after the fire, the main task was to halt the church’s deterioration. We managed to completely repair the roof of the south aisle to prevent water from getting in and draw up plans to begin the church’s comprehensive restoration," Stanislava Vitoňová, spokesperson for the Diocese of České Budějovice, told ČTK. Costs in 2024 amounted to 633,611 crowns.

In 2025, work moved inside, where charred structural elements were cleared away. Specialists gently cleaned soot from the plaster using a pulsed laser and dismantled the organ and placed it in storage. The work cost a total of 1.839 million crowns. This year, work continues to secure the western part of the church, including the choir loft, while restoration of the organ and renewal of the electrical wiring have begun. Investment of 1.895 million crowns is planned for this year.

Extensive restoration of the interior is planned for next year, including repairs to windows, doors, stucco work and rare wall paintings. Work on the organ and electrical wiring is also set to continue. The planned costs amount to 1.6 million crowns. "I feel that the church in Chlum is important not only to parishioners but to the entire region. The small, beautiful pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is the pride of the Třeboň area," said Viktor Jaković, administrator of the Parish of Chlum u Třeboně.

The pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Chlum u Třeboně was built between 1737 and 1745. It was commissioned by the owner of the Chlum estate, Jan František of Fünfkirchen, in gratitude for his survival after he was buried beneath the collapsed vault of a shooting range near Hejtman Pond. The church acquired its present appearance in 1804. It also served as a family burial vault. The pilgrimage site also includes four Baroque statues outside the church.