Simkovicova: Works to Save Spis Castle's Romanesque Palace to Begin Soon

Spisske Podhradie/Bratislava, 4 June (TASR) - The Culture Ministry has allocated approximately six million euros for the stabilization and rescue of the Romanesque Palace at the Spis Castle, Slovak National Museum (SNM) director Andrea Predajnova announced at a press briefing on Wednesday. Predajnova also confirmed that works are expected to begin in about two weeks and last approximately two years. Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova (nominated by SNS) warned that if the palace were to collapse, it would bring international disgrace to Slovakia and could lead to the removal of the Spis Castle from the UNESCO World Heritage List. „We have launched all the processes that should have been started years ago. Experts conducted inspections and confirmed that the condition is catastrophic. We initiated public procurement, found a contractor, and today we can say we are fighting to save the Romanesque Palace," said Simkovicova, while also criticizing her predecessors for not acting sooner to preserve the palace. Predajnova pointed out that the Romanesque Palace is one of the most valuable parts of the Spis Castle and is currently at risk of collapse. She noted that a study was carried out back in 2010, followed by project documentation in 2011. „The Romanesque Palace has not been stabilized for 15 years. Now work will be done to prevent the palace from falling apart. This is not a reconstruction — we first need to stabilize it, and only afterward will full restoration be possible," stated the SNM director. mf