Heritage protectors will take over the management of the Prague Invalidovna today

Prague - The National Heritage Institute (NPÚ) will today take over the administration of the Invalidovna in Prague. Heritage officials want to invest about one billion Czech crowns into the renovation of the extensive and long-unused baroque complex. Until now, the vast complex was managed by the Office for Representing the State in Property Matters (ÚZSVM). Two years ago, the state unsuccessfully attempted to sell the monument. The building, which has since become a national cultural monument, was offered for nearly 640 million crowns.

The NPÚ would like to operate an educational center in the building in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, and the Prague Philharmonic Choir and other contributory organizations established by the Ministry of Culture should also be located there. There could also be exhibition spaces in the Invalidovna.

The building was constructed between 1731 and 1737 as a shelter for war veterans. The builders were inspired by a similar building in Paris. The plans for the construction were developed by the famous builder Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer in 1730, but due to a lack of funds, only one-ninth of the proposal was realized. The building served to accommodate war invalids until 1935. Until recently, the Military Central Archive operated in the building, which moved to a facility in the barracks in Prague-Ruzyně. The Ministry of Defense then transferred the Invalidovna to the ÚZSVM based on a government resolution.