The use of the Muzejka at Moravské náměstí in Brno is hindered by a legal dispute with a former tenant

Brno - The use of spaces in the Bergl Palace at Moravian Square in Brno, where a craft bakery used to operate, is still hindered by a court dispute with the former tenant. The city is involved in three lawsuits with the company Gattamelata. In two, it acts as the plaintiff, demanding, among other things, the eviction of the premises, while in the third, it is the defendant due to alleged unjust enrichment. The City Court in Brno partially ruled in favor of the company, and both the city and the plaintiff have appealed. Radka Loukotová from the press department of the city hall told ČTK today.

The tenant of Muzejka received notice to quit more than two years ago, stating that they must vacate the premises by the end of May. The city cited long-term issues with paying rent or utility deposits and unauthorized modifications to the interiors without regard for the heritage value as reasons. The company responded on its Instagram. It described eight years of operation in the city-owned premises as incredibly difficult, and the city management as despotic and arrogant. "The problem has dragged on since the very beginning when we invested tens of millions into the reconstruction of the dilapidated, heritage-protected municipal property," wrote the company's representatives.

The city is now seeking payment for the debt incurred from the use of the premises, which in 2023 exceeded 800,000 crowns, in one of the lawsuits. In the second, it is pursuing the eviction of the premises after the expiration of the notice period and the termination of the legal relationship regarding the use of the property. "In the third lawsuit, the company Gattamelata is suing the city for alleged unjust enrichment. The plaintiff is demanding 1.2 million crowns from the city, and the court in Brno partially ruled in his favor. According to the judgment, the city should pay approximately 160,000 crowns. Both the city and the plaintiff have appealed against this judgment," Loukotová stated.

Bergl Palace, also known as Bergler Palace or Bergl Villa, or Muzejka, was built in the 1860s as a neo-Renaissance house with a neo-Gothic facade. The building was designed by Viennese architect Heinrich Ferstel, the author of the nearby Red Church and several other buildings in Brno. The name Muzejka was given to the house in the 1920s when it belonged to the Agricultural Museum and the Museum Café was located on the ground floor. The museum was closed in 1943, but the name remained with the building. It has been heritage-protected since 1964.