Praha 10 will announce a tender for the reconstruction of Čapek's villa in Vinohrady

Prague - Prague 10 will announce a tender with an estimated value of 24.4 million crowns excluding value-added tax for the reconstruction of part of the Vinohrady duplex villa where the writer Karel Čapek lived. This was announced today in a press release by the spokesperson of the town hall, Ján Bruno Tropp, referring to the city council's decision on Thursday. After the reconstruction, the villa will be accessible to the public and a permanent installation dedicated to the life and work of the famous writer will be created there. Work is expected to begin later this year.

The Čapek brothers had the duplex built in Vinohrady in 1923 and 1924 according to the design of architect Ladislav Machoň. Prague 10 purchased half of the duplex, where Karel Čapek lived, in 2013 for 43.9 million crowns from the grandnephew of the writer's wife, Olga Scheinpflugová. In the other half of the building lived the writer's brother, Josef, whose descendants still own it.

"The restoration of Karel Čapek's villa is a long-term priority for our district. We believe that this step will bring the project closer to its goal, which is a dignified commemoration of the legacy of the Čapek brothers in the place where they truly lived and created," said the mayor of Prague 10, Martin Valovič (ODS). According to Tropp, construction should begin after the tender is completed, with results expected in July.

Discussions about the reconstruction of the villa have been ongoing among representatives of various administrations in the tenth district since the purchase of half of the house. So far, a structural-historical and restoration survey has been conducted as well as an inventory and storage of the original furnishings along with Čapek's extensive archive of documents. Occasionally, the town hall organizes tours or lectures there in collaboration with cultural institutions.