Radnice (Nový Bor) Town hall

Welcome to New Bor. Right now, you're standing in the Square of Peace, and in front of you is a building that is the real dominance of this whole place. Look at her carefully. It is a town hall, a building that by its presence determines the character of the whole square and is rightly registered as a cultural monument. When you look at her today, you see the city's administrative center, but her history is much more layered than it might seem. This building began not as a seat of power, but as a place for storing grain.

Let's go back together in time deep into the past to make it clear why this building looks just like this. The first written mention of this place dates back to the year seven hundred fifty and one. At that time, it was not the town hall, but the Baroque granary of the court. So imagine that in the areas where phone calls are being made today and official meetings are being held, there was once a grain that was the basis for the survival and wealth of local people. The granary was at that time a key element of the government's economy.

But times have changed, and with them the needs of a growing city. In a thousand and eight hundred twenty one city bought the building. At this very moment, a great transformation began. The granary was converted into an administrative building, which was a crucial step in the development of New Bor. The building thus began to perform the function that we know today, although the road to the full establishment of the town hall lasted longer. This role for Nový Bor and neighbouring Arnultovice definitely began in the year one thousand nine hundred forty-two.

Now pay attention to the architecture itself. When you look at the facade and the overall design of the construction, notice how naturally different periods work together. The building combines the elements of the Baroque, which remained in it from the time of the granary, with later modifications made to the city hall. It's an architectural record of time. The whole building is part of the urban monument zone, which was announced in the year one thousand nine hundred ninety-two to preserve its unique face for future generations.

When we think about the people connected to this building, we can touch names that have left a mark in history. In the context of administration and ownership there appear personalities like Marie Terezie or Josef Jan Maxmilián Kinský. The name Josef Sekáč is also one of those associated with the fate of this place. Even if you don't see their portraits in the building today at every turn, their influence and decisions shaped what you see before you. This town hall was not just an ordinary office, but a place where the fate of thousands of people was decided, where the courts were based and where at some point the city museum found its place.

Now I want to take you to something you can't see at first sight, but what is fascinating. Imagine now you're sinking deep beneath your feet, underground. That's where one of the biggest secrets of this building is hiding. There are baroque cellars under the town hall, which are divided into eight different parts. What is truly remarkable, however, is the fact that three of these parts are not built from bricks, but are cut directly into sandstone. The sandstone is typical of this region and it required enormous effort to create space in it.

But the most interesting thing is hiding in the last circle room underground. If you were there now, I suggest you look up at the ceiling. You'll see an opening. This opening here is not even a mistake in the construction. It was used to sprinkle grain from the upper floors directly into the underground mill, which was originally here. It's a fascinating detail that reminds us of the original function of the building as granary. It is such a silent witness to the time when the rhythm of the city was determined by the grain and mill wheel, not by digital clocks and official stamps.

It's amazing how one building can change its identity. From the granary to the administration building, the courts and the museum to the present town hall. Each of these functions left an invisible mark in the building. If you look at her again, you probably don't just see her as an official building anymore, but as a layered story about people, about work and the development of the entire New Bor.

I hope this short trip to history has helped you better understand the importance of this place. The City Hall in New Bor is more than just an administrative centre, a monument to human effort and adaptability. Now invited to further explore the surroundings of Peace Square. Feel the atmosphere of this place, look at the details of the surrounding houses and be guided by curiosity. Thank you for your attention, and I wish you a pleasant journey along New Bor. Goodbye.