The magistrate wants to take over the administration of the Dominican Court in Braník

Prague - The Prague City Hall is interested in taking over the management of the Dominican Courtyard in Braník from Prague 4. After reconstruction, a Waldorf school could be established on the premises. This was announced today by Prague councilor Vít Šimral (Pirates). The courtyard is managed by Prague 4, which, however, lacks the funds for repair and maintenance. The representatives of Prague 4 approved on Wednesday the proposal to transfer it to the management of the City Hall. The transfer still needs to be approved by the Prague councilors and representatives. The former Dominican courtyard dates back to the third quarter of the 17th century. Three of the original four wings have been preserved, including the bell tower from 1761.

"Prague 4 is negotiating with us, and placing the lyceum in the building makes sense to us. However, everything will depend on the budgetary possibilities of the capital city," said Šimral.

"We have not yet discussed the schedule and any so-called relinquishment and reconstruction," Šimral stated. According to earlier estimates from Prague 4, the reconstruction should cost between 150 and 250 million crowns.

The courtyard has been leased by the Zemský Pivovar company since 2014. According to the municipality, it did not fulfill the contract, and therefore the district terminated the lease in the second half of 2017. Furthermore, the company did not prove by the given deadline that it had the funds for the promised repairs, according to the municipality. According to the original plans, a microbrewery and hotel were to be built in the dilapidated monument. The company has always denied the allegations.

Waldorf pedagogy offers an alternative approach to education, with drama education being a common part of the curriculum, and children also learn manual skills. For example, in natural science, students do not learn the entire scope of the material; instead, the teacher selects a specific interesting issue to explore in depth with the students. Children are also usually assessed verbally, rather than with grades.