The reconstruction of the Prague Invalidovna is prepared and may be completed in 2029

Prague - The National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) is ready to start the competition for the reconstruction of the Prague Invalidovna, awaiting the instruction from the Ministry of Culture. If it receives this and everything goes according to plan, the renovated complex with extensions could open in mid-2029. This was stated to journalists today during a tour of the baroque monument by the director of the NPÚ's Invalidovna Reconstruction Department, František Laudát. The statement from the Ministry of Culture is being sought by ČTK.

"We have asked the Ministry of Culture to consent to the announcement of a public contract for the construction contractor," said Laudát. He added that the estimated costs for the reconstruction, which will include modern extensions, are 2.15 billion crowns including VAT.

According to Laudát, the extensions are necessary primarily due to the need to introduce modern technologies into the extensive building, which will ensure heating, ventilation, electricity, and data networks. "The extensions did not arise from any whim," he said. He added that the project brief also included building facilities for the Prague Philharmonic Choir, whose rehearsal room will be in one of the extensions, along with a multifunctional hall. According to the director, it has proved that building these spaces in the historic building would mean significant interventions which are unacceptable from a heritage perspective.

After the reconstruction, the area will be open to the public for more than 80 percent, according to Laudát. "The Invalidovna will become part of the surrounding parks, and historic passages will be restored on all four sides," he said.

As for the content, the southern wing will have spaces for school education and a conference hall, two children's groups, and a gallery for temporary exhibitions on the upper floor. The chapel in the northern wing will be dedicated to cultural events focusing on the baroque period, and according to the director, the organ should return there. Furthermore, there will be conference spaces in the northern wing available for rent, and NPÚ offices and restoration workshops and laboratories on the upper floor.

"The eastern wing will be dedicated to life in the Invalidovna," added Laudát. The team preparing the exhibition, focused on the influx of wounded after the battles at Hradec Králové in 1866 and Solferino in 1859, is led by historian Daniel Stehlík. The western wing will be dedicated, according to the director, to the NPÚ's presentation of the architecture of noble residences it manages, of which there are more than a hundred. "It is meant to be an invitation for tourists not to only travel to Prague," said Laudát.

Part of the work will also involve building underground garages for 50 cars. The central hall and previously inaccessible gardens, which will be open to the public, are also set for restoration. According to the director, the area should be economically self-sufficient. "The Invalidovna should not only sustain itself but should also generate profit," he said.

The Invalidovna was established between 1731 and 1737 based on the project of the significant architect of Czech baroque Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer as a refuge for war veterans and their families. The building served as accommodation for war invalids until 1935. Later, it was the site of the Military Central Archive, which was significantly damaged by floods in 2002 and was then transferred to the Office for the Representation of the State in Property Matters (ÚZSVM). The office originally intended to sell the monument at auction, but the NPÚ, as a contributory organization of the Ministry of Culture, obtained it in 2018 through a non-reimbursable transfer.