The Václav Havel Library could be in Hradčany in just two years

Prague - The Václav Havel Library could be opened in Prague at Loreto Square in the Hradčany district within two years. This was stated today at a press conference by architects Ricardo Bofill from Spain and Marek Tichý, who are preparing the reconstruction of the Palace of U Drahomířin Sloupu for the needs of the library with the sponsorship funds of Zdeněk Bakala. The former president, whose work, notes, and materials are being collected by the institution, stated that these archives should help "bring to presence" the history of the last half-century of Czech history.
Havel emphasized today before reporters that the goal of the library is not to build a monument to him personally, but rather the effort to create a "center of spiritual, social, and literary life in Prague." Events such as exhibitions, concerts, and public discussions should take place in the palace's premises.
The Václav Havel Library has existed as an institution since 2004, with one of its co-founders being the former president's wife Dagmar Havlová. However, it has not yet had its own premises. Billionaire Bakala purchased the building, which previously housed the wife of the former president Edvard Beneš, in mid-last year.
Today, Bakala told reporters that Havel's library would rent about a third of the reconstructed building. Other parts of the palace could house Havel's office, as well as some non-governmental organizations. Bakala estimated the costs of the palace reconstruction, which has already received preliminary approval from heritage authorities, at approximately 200 million crowns, but he is prepared to pay more.
According to him, the proposed content of the Václav Havel Library "narrows and expands" the concept of American presidential libraries. These primarily aim to archive the actions of individual presidents during their terms in office. However, Havel pointed out that important documents from this stage of his life are collected by the Office of the President of the Republic and the Archive of Prague Castle.
"I was president for 13 years, but I am 75. This means I have written a lot without it being related to that office, and we will not hide or discard that," Havel noted. He reminded that although his eight-volume works have been published, he claims to have written about fifty times more material in his lifetime. Havel expects that most of the documents available in the library will be quality copies. The former president mentioned that visitors to the library might be interested in his correspondence with poets Vladimír Holan and Jaroslav Seifert.
"I reiterate, these documents are not to serve as a celebration of my persona, but as documents of the last decades," Havel pointed out, admitting that he was initially worried whether the project of the library bearing his name would be received with distaste and mockery.
The renovation project of the palace, originally from the end of the 16th century, was prepared by Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill. "We approached it with respect to details, the elements that are there, and the materials," he told reporters today. His Czech partners are the architectural office TaK, which has extensive experience with the reconstruction of historical buildings in Prague.