Jakab Palace: Story of incredible Neglect — Tomáš Hrivňák Photography

Imagine if the Prague Astronomical Clock had not been one of the city's pearls, but instead the municipality was fighting for it in court with the heirs of the former owners for over twenty years, leaving the iconic building to fall into disrepair.

This is the reality for the people of Košice. Jakab Palace which the dispute is over greets tourists advancing from the train station to the historic city centre. In autumn, participants in Europe's oldest marathon run under the palace. The city wants the palace to be a showcase for Kosovars. Literally. If the city council could, it would set up a famous hall of famous natives there. But it can't.

At the end of last year, after years of litigation, the Regional Court in Košice ruled that the national landmark belongs to the heirs of the former owner, who currently live in Brazil. The city is using the last remaining legal options to make the court overrule its decision.

This palace has been my favorite building in the city since I can remember. Its architecture and green roof mesmerized me. Today I had the chance to get a tour of it.

If I had to describe what I saw in one word, it would be one that unfortunately fits many cultural heritage sights in Slovakia - Neglect.

The Jakab Palace was built at the end of the 19th century in the Neo-Gothic style. Štefánikova and Mlynská streets meet at its corner.

It was built in 1899 by Arpád Jakab, a builder and owner of a brickyard. Jakab obtained some of the building material from the St. Elizabeth Cathedral on Hlavná Street in Košice, which was being reconstructed at the time.

Jakab was also inspired by the Gothic style of the cathedral when designing his own dwelling. The palace stood out by the water at that time, as the Mlynský náhon once flowed where cars drive today and marathon runners occasionally run.

For two months in 1945, the building was the residence of Czechoslovak President Eduard Beneš.

Since 2001, it has been permanently closed due to ongoing litigation, and the building is rarely open to the public.