We are aware that Nová Zbrojovka is being created on a historically significant site and our aim is to preserve this legacy, whether through the reconstruction of the 4 original buildings, by referring to the origins in the names of the buildings or parts of Nová Zbrojovka, or just by trying to preserve the memories of the major events from the past of this place, such as this memorial.
In the coming weeks, the monument will undergo a challenging renovation. The roughly five-metre high monolith will have to be sensitively dismantled, and the individual travertine slabs with bronze inscriptions placed on the reinforced concrete base will be carefully removed and taken away for renovation, which will take weeks of work. Marek Zeman, an experienced stone sculptor from Jeřice, who has been working in the field for more than 30 years and has already completed, for example, the reconstruction of the facade of the Lucerna Palace for Dagmar Havel, the restoration of the National Theatre or the renovation of the pearl of the Bohemian Paradise, the Hrubá Skála Castle. We are sure that the renovation of the monument is in the best hands.
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| Travertine slabs and inscriptions will have to be renovated | The current appearance of the monument in front of the HRAD |
The memorial plaques and bronze inscriptions will be restored
"The current condition of the memorial is not good. The reinforced concrete foundation has a limited life span and the external influences are causing it to expand, which is fatal for the rigidly fixed travertine slabs. At the moment, they are shattered into several pieces and are held to the base almost by sheer force. We will try to make them whole, but we do not rule out the need to replace them," says Marek Zeman, describing the current state of the monument.
"Another necessary process is the restoration of the bronze inscriptions. At the moment, several letters are missing and there will be others, placed in the joints of the plates and damaged during dismantling, which will have to be re-made. I will make new moulds for these and after casting I will add the appropriate patina to match the original inscriptions," says Marek Zeman, describing the fascinating process of restoring the memorial plaques.
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| Reconstructed foyer of the former Zbrojovka headquarters | Marble panelling and other historical elements were preserved |
We invite you to visit the foyer of the HRAD and the restored memorial
The monument will be dismantled in the coming days and should appear in its renovated form in its new place of honour in the HRAD foyer by mid-December. HRAD, the original administrative building of Zbrojovka, which has already been brought back to life thanks to the reconstruction, will thus add another piece of history, restored so that it can continue to convey the message of the past.
