In the former Brandejs estate in Suchdol, there will be a gymnasium after reconstruction

Prague - Prague will build a high school for approximately 400 children at the former Brandejs farm in Suchdol. The historic building will also be used by the municipal police after renovations, which currently has horses stabled there. Prague councillors today approved the tender for project documentation and the school's construction, and the plan will still be reviewed by the representatives. The estimated costs are 1.066 billion crowns excluding VAT.

The Brandejs farm, also known as the Suchdol chateau, is a protected monument. According to the property councillor Adam Zábranský (Pirates), it has been deteriorating for a long time. "This is a way to bring it back to life. We have a completed study. The contractor will do the project, permits, and execution. It is a faster way to achieve the actual construction," Zábranský explained. The city expects that the design work will take two years and the construction itself another two years.

After the renovation, historical buildings now referred to as the chateau, blacksmith, barn, carriage house, and sheepfold will serve the school. Prague will also have two new buildings constructed on the premises, one of which will house a gymnasium. The high school will have 12 classes with a capacity for 408 students.

According to the education councillor Antonín Klecanda (STAN), the preparation for the renovation was prolonged due to discussions with the municipal police and heritage conservationists. "For the prepared study to be in agreement and to avoid problems during discussions," Klecanda said.

Since last March, the municipal police has been using the carriage house and part of the neighboring land. They have a mounted unit and a station located there. These will remain on the grounds. "We appreciate that during the project preparation, it was possible to find space for keeping horses and a small community center so that the Brandejs farm can serve the wider public," stated the deputy mayor of Prague - Suchdol David Skála (Association of Suchdol Citizens).

The chairman of the opposition ANO party in Prague, Ondřej Prokop, stated that Prague has a critical shortage of school places, and therefore supports the construction of the school. "However, the city must build capacities systematically and think more boldly. The ANO movement proposes creating a modern educational campus that links vocational schools, high schools, health schools, and other fields into one functional unit," Prokop said.

The lack of capacity in high schools, especially gymnasiums, has been a long-term problem in Prague. Experts point out that the cause is the population growth and the fact that students from the Central Bohemian Region commute to schools in Prague.