In Branický Courtyard, a university of heritage conservation will be established

Prague - A university of heritage preservation and conservation will be established in the dilapidated Dominican Courtyard in Braník in about three years. This was announced to journalists today by the mayor of Prague 4, Pavel Horálek (ODS). The district has already selected an investor and future tenant. The investor is the company TCP - Vidoule, of which the majority owner is the City of Prague.
    The district does not have enough funds to repair the deteriorating monument from its own resources. According to Horálek's estimate, the reconstruction could cost around 160 million crowns. However, the Braník Courtyard will remain the property of the district; the investor will pay for the reconstruction, and in return, Prague 4 will lease the property to them.
    The municipality estimates that project work alone will take a year and a half, and the reconstruction should take roughly the same amount of time. "The first students could be admitted to the school in the autumn of 2011, but possibly not until a year later,” noted Horálek.
    Prague 4 hopes that establishing the school will attract young people not only from Prague to Braník, revitalizing this district. Part of the building will also be used by the municipality. "We want to create an information center here. At the same time, the courtyard of the Braník Courtyard should remain accessible to the public for sitting and relaxation,” the mayor remarked.
    In recent years, the municipality organized a survey asking local residents what they would like to see in the Dominican Courtyard. Among other suggestions, people proposed having a library, a cultural facility, a senior citizens' home, as well as shops, restaurants, or a brewery. A hotel was also considered. However, this would require a conversion of the courtyard, which would likely not be approved by the heritage conservationists. The district ultimately formed a commission to evaluate the proposals, selecting the use for educational purposes as the most suitable.
    The area of the former Dominican Courtyard dates back to the third quarter of the 17th century. In the 1960s, it was declared a cultural monument. Of the original four wings, three have survived to this day, including the bell tower from 1761. The monument is in poor technical condition and houses several company warehouses. The City of Prague entrusted the courtyard to the district 13 years ago.