Fire in Květnica: Did someone set the Liechtenstein Court on fire?
On Tuesday before midnight, fire trucks started arriving in the village of Květnice, near Prague, because for unknown reasons, the uninhabited building of the former estate, or Lichtenstein Court from the 18th century, started to catch fire. Fortunately, no one was injured in the fire, which was extinguished within a few hours. However, an important historical monument was lost.
“On Tuesday, July 12, in the evening, we witnessed a fire in a historic building in the premises of the Liechtenstein Court in Květnice, during which the precious roof of one of the most valuable buildings – the Baroque barn – completely burned down. This resulted in serious, regrettable damage to the building, which was declared a rural cultural heritage by resolution of the Květnice village council in 2020,” the Květnický mlýn association posted on its Facebook page.
An uninitiated eye might overlook these village buildings, perhaps also because they have been empty and decaying for many years. But these are interesting historical buildings. The yard as such was built in the 18th century as an agricultural estate of the Lichtenstein family. The most valuable building that had its original roof preserved was probably the sheepfold. And she also succumbed to Tuesday’s fire. The nearby villa, built in modernist style, is undoubtedly interesting. In the 1930s, it was built by the prominent Prague lawyer Adolf Krýsa, who worked for the then president Edvard Beneš. In later years, the villa suffered greatly from insensitive reconstruction, after which, for example, the terrace disappeared.
The complex will be replaced by new apartments
However, the area with outbuildings including the villa is owned by the development company Alcala Partners, which plans to demolish all the buildings and build a new developer including a housing project and public services. Therefore, in 2020, local residents, led by sculptor and local native Kryštof Hošek, decided to organize a petition to preserve at least some of the buildings.
“The authors of this initiative do not adhere to the dogmatic preservation of all objects of the area, but they are deeply convinced that the genius loci and historical identity of our village will irretrievably disappear with the widespread demolition. The Květnice municipality council has so far not taken public comments into account, and we believe that it does not adequately meet the public interest when discussing the final form of the area,” the authors of the petition claim.
But the municipal council, led by mayor Stanislav Plock (One Flower, one place for life), fundamentally disagrees with this. “We have already made this request during negotiations with the developerbut he was repeatedly to us rejected by the developer due to the impossibility of economic profitability and the ever-deteriorating technical condition of the building. The developer has a valid demolition permit, so the municipality has no legal leverage to force him not to demolish the buildings. We try to use our negotiating position in the framework of the approval of the regulatory plan to the greatest extent possible to achieve public space in the center of the village, however, in no case can we force the developers to make changesif his proposal is in accordance with the valid spatial plan,” the council states in its response to the petition from June 8 this year.
Deliberate arson?
In addition, the authors of the petition believe that the last fire (it also burned in March this year) did not happen by accident, but someone intentionally set it on fire. “It is more than obvious that the fire was started on purpose, although it is not possible to predict at the moment who specifically started the fire. It is certainly no coincidence that there has already been a second fire in a short period of time in the area.”
However, this message cannot currently be taken with absolute certainty, and such an opinion is therefore mere speculation. “The cause of the fire is still under investigation,” said Tereza Sýkora Fliegerová, press spokesperson for the HZS of the Central Bohemian Region, for Blesk. In addition, on July 20, the development company prepared a long-anticipated presentation of its construction plan for local residents. Perhaps it will be possible to find some agreement between the developer and the local authorities and some of the buildings will be preserved.
The historic building of the farm from the 18th century burned down. The developer wants to demolish the buildings and build apartments here
Author: FB: Liechtenstein court