The voivodeship local government supports the care of historic monuments entered in the register by granting earmarked subsidies for conservation, restoration and other construction work. Owners or administrators of historic properties could apply for funds from the voivodeship budget. Applications could be submitted until the end of January. A total of 323 were received, and they were assessed by a special committee made up of experts in the protection of cultural heritage, including voivodeship conservator of monuments Barbara Nowak-Obelinda. The principal criteria were the monument’s importance for cultural heritage, the condition of the property and its accessibility to visitors.
– This year, we allocated PLN 1.5 million more to the protection of historic monuments than last year. Of course, the needs remain enormous, especially considering that our historic monuments account for 12 percent of all such properties in Poland. Therefore, in addition to grants from the voivodeship budget for the protection of cultural heritage, we have reserved more than PLN 100 million in the Regional Operational Programme – says Marshal Cezary Przybylski.
The Voivodeship Board approved a list of more than 150 investments to receive grants from the voivodeship budget. They include, among other projects, conservation of the roof of the Church of Peace in Świdnica, which has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List; renovation of the Wrocław Iglica spire at Centennial Hall; work to secure the walls of the Cavalier Bastion at Srebrna Góra Fortress; and renovation of the medieval stone bridge on the grounds of the Cistercian monastery in Henryków.
– Voivodeship funds will support the conservation of many valuable works of art located throughout Lower Silesia, such as the 14th-century Gothic sculpture of the Virgin Mary and Child from St. Michael the Archangel Church in Bystrzyca Kłodzka, the collection of Baroque paintings at the Benedictine Sisters’ Abbey in Krzeszów, and the stone epitaphs in the garrison church of St. Elizabeth in Wrocław – lists Tadeusz Samborski, a board member responsible for the protection of cultural heritage.
The list recommended by the board also included the log houses characteristic of our region. The highest grants, of up to PLN 90,000, were allocated to historic spa properties and the reconstruction of roofs on religious buildings.
– Renovations of historic churches involve such high costs that the faithful of individual communities are unable to bear them. Thanks to the grants, many Lower Silesian churches have been saved from destruction, renovated and restored to their former glory – says Rev. Dr Rafał Kowalski, spokesman for the Wrocław curia.
Whether the grants will go to the beneficiaries indicated by the committee and the Voivodeship Board will be decided by the regional assembly councillors during the next session, on 31 March.
Those in our county that have a chance of receiving funding are:
- Twoje Dziedzictwo Foundation in Zielonka – PLN 50,000 for the former Evangelical church in Żeliszów (1796–1797): renovation of the roof and building structure, stage III
- Roman Catholic Parish of Saints Peter and Paul the Apostles in Nowogrodziec – PLN 35,000 for renovation of the roof covering of the tower of St. Nicholas Church in Nowogrodziec, dating from the 17th century.
- Roman Catholic Parish of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Warta Bolesławiecka – PLN 30,000 for renovation of the roof covering of the tower of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Warta Bolesławiecka
- Roman Catholic Parish of the Most Holy Saviour in Kraśnik Dolny – PLN 30,000 for renovation of the interior and dome of the tower of the Church of the Most Holy Saviour in Kraśnik Dolny
- Roman Catholic Parish of Our Lady of Częstochowa in Bożejowice – PLN 30,000 for the conservation and restoration of the polychrome altar and confessional in the Church of Our Lady of Częstochowa in Bożejowice
- Roman Catholic Parish of St. Hedwig in Tomaszów Bolesławiecki – PLN 20,000 for the conservation of Baroque paintings and Stations of the Passion (stage II) in the parish church of St. Hedwig of Silesia in Tomaszów Bolesławiecki.
Details below:
Lower Silesia is Poland’s leader in terms of the number of historic monuments entered in the register. There are approximately 8,300 of them in our voivodeship. Work is currently nearing completion on the voivodeship programme for the care of historic monuments, being prepared by the Institute for Regional Development. This document will set the local government’s priorities for actions aimed at protecting the region’s heritage. The main priorities are the revitalisation and increased tourist appeal of Lower Silesian historic monuments.
UMWD/ii