The works on the reconstruction and restoration of the Castle of King Nikola in Nikšić, which were stopped by the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Property because the contractor did not fully comply with the rules of the profession and conservation principles, have not yet been continued.
"Following a citizen's report that works were being carried out on the building without the approval of the Administration, the inspector for cultural assets went to the field with experts from the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Assets, after which a decision was made on the temporary suspension of the implementation of conservation measures at the cultural asset King Nikola's Castle. Considering that the way in which the locksmith work was carried out on the ground floor is not in accordance with the rules of the profession and conservation principles, it is necessary to remove the locksmith on the ground floor and install a new one, in a way that will not devalue the values of the cultural property, but improve them, and all in accordance with the conservation project to which this Administration has given its consent", it is stated in the reply of the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Property to "Vijesti".
Some segments of aluminum locksmithing on the ground floor are up to ten centimeters wide, and the conservation project stipulates that the dimensions of the aluminum profiles on the doors and arched windows should be as thin as possible, up to five centimeters. By placing an arched window above the entrance door, two aluminum profiles with a cumulative thickness of ten centimeters were joined together, which, as assessed in the findings, distorts the appearance of the Castle.
Windows with shutters and doors are made of white laminated chamo wood, while the openings on the ground floor are closed with aluminum profiles.
Vice President of the Municipality Zoran Tomic he said that he held two meetings with the representatives of the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Property, the Administration of Public Works and the Center for Conservation and Archeology, and he hopes to meet again next week, in order to find a solution to the problem.
"The contractor installed a lock that does not match the conservation project in terms of dimensions or appearance. The Administration for the Protection of Cultural Properties blocked the works on January 14 of this year and will not allow construction to continue until these deficiencies are rectified. I hope to find a solution as soon as possible in order to eliminate these shortcomings", said Tomić.
As he pointed out, 70 percent of the work has been done, and the rest could be completed relatively quickly, as soon as a solution is found for the locksmith on the ground floor.
"We are all responsible for preserving the cultural heritage of our country and city, and of course we and all the citizens are concerned that the reconstruction is still not finished. As for us, we would like the work to continue today. The Municipality of Nikšić will lend a hand for any solution, but we will never be an accomplice in the destruction of such and similar facilities", said Tomić.
As he stated, on May 20, 2020, the Public Works Administration signed a contract with the company "Bombeton" from Cetinje on the reconstruction of the Castle worth almost 1,2 million euros. The works started on August 20, and the contractor promised that they would be completed within the year. The entire project is financed by the Government of Montenegro from the capital budget.
"We advise you to request more information about this 'problem' from the Public Works Administration, which is the contract holder of the work. The only thing we can say is that we carried out the works in everything according to the project documentation we received from the investor, and with the approval-consent of the supervisory service. The lock has not been removed because we do not yet have another project solution", states the reply to "News" from the company "Bombeton", signed by Nebojsa Đukanović.
And from the company "Europrojekt" from Podgorica, which is in charge of supervising the works, they referred to the Directorate of Public Works.
The Public Works Administration did not answer when the works will be continued and completed, how much money has been spent so far for the reconstruction, as well as whether and by how much, because of the locks, the reconstruction will be more expensive than planned.
The castle, which is on the list of the Administration for the Protection of Cultural Property, was built in 1900, on the occasion of the celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the reign of Prince Nikola, and was designed by the Croatian architect Dr. Josip Šilović Slade. Prince Nikola and Princess Milena attended the official opening and consecration of the Castle, which was performed by Metropolitan Mitrofan, and were later joined by other family members and distinguished guests. The castle was built in the Neo-Renaissance style and is considered the most beautiful building built by the Petrović family. It is located next to the city park and the Cathedral Church of St. Vasilij Ostroški and served as a summer residence for the Montenegrin ruler.
For years, the Castle fell into disrepair, and due to the humidity and the leaking roof, the museum exhibits were endangered. There were also five burglaries, and the numismatic collection was particularly damaged. From 1919 until the beginning of the Second World War, the Castle housed a Gymnasium. During the war, it was largely destroyed, and from 1949 to 1975, it housed the "Luka Simonović" Elementary School. From 1976 to 1980, the ground floor of the Castle was used by the Secondary School of Economics and Hospitality, while the first floor was adapted for a museum exhibit.
The castle, which until a few years ago housed the archive department, which was moved to the Nikšić Theater building, was renovated in 1984. Since that year, it has had an archaeological, art-historical, ethnographic, historical and artistic collection.
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