A Hejnice treasure returns: A crystal chandelier will shine once again after 170 years
One of the largest historic chandeliers in the Liberec Region is returning home after extensive professional restoration at the Preciosa Lighting workshops. This unique light fixture from the first half of the 19th century will once again shine in the Basilica of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary in Hejnice before Easter. In March, the Archbishop of Prague, Monsignor Stanislav Přibyl, personally inspected the progress of the work, accompanied by representatives of the town and the monastery.
The restoration by the Lightkeepers team confirmed the extraordinary craftsmanship of the original glassmakers. Instead of using expensive threaded fittings, they opted for a unique method of securing the arms to pins, which continues to protect the structure from corrosion to this day. Each of the thousands of glass components is a hand-cut original—it takes a glassmaker over 80 minutes to produce a single replacement prism to replace the original ones.
The technical specifications of this colossus are equally impressive. The complete fixture, standing 4.5 meters tall, weighs a total of 445.5 kilograms and features 8,889 glass components held together by an incredible 17,301 brass rivets. The pendants alone weigh 207 kilograms. The modernized electrical wiring contains over 130 meters of new cables. Although Preciosa has restored chandeliers for Prague Castle as well, the Hejnice piece is entirely unique in its construction.
The ceremonial lighting at the Hejnice Cathedral will take place on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 8:00 p.m., when the artwork will be unveiled to the public for the first time in all its glory.