The reconstruction of the façade of the Invalidovna in Karlín has been completed

Prague - The reconstruction of the Invalidovna building in Karlín has been completed. It cost 20 million crowns. Scaffolding around its facade disappeared at the beginning of the year after months of repairs. CTK was informed today by the spokesperson for the municipal district of Prague 8, Radka Wallace. The dilapidated facade has regained its original appearance. Under the supervision of conservationists, a part of the roof was reconstructed, plaster was renewed, and windows were replaced.
    The Invalidovna houses the Military Historical Archive. According to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Defense, Jan Pejšek, the archive is scheduled to move in 2014 to the building of the former military gymnasium in Prague-Ruzyně. However, that building also needs to be renovated first. The planned reconstruction has not yet started and is supposed to be completed by 2013.
    "Immediately after the move, the building will be unnecessary for us," said Pejšek. Therefore, the ministry will prioritize offering the building for transfer to other state organizations. If none of them show interest, a tender for its purchase is expected to be announced in 2014 or 2015. The capital city has already indicated that it is not interested in the Invalidovna. The costs for the overall reconstruction of the building, which suffered from flooding, are estimated at about one billion crowns, and the building is still waiting for it. "The ministry currently has no funds for a more extensive renovation of the building," Pejšek told CTK.
    During the floods in 2002, the water level in the building rose to several meters. It flooded 26,500 boxes of archival materials, of which 9,000 had to be destroyed. The military then invested 20 million crowns in essential repairs, such as the remediation of plaster or floors. According to the director of the Military Central Archive, Josef Žikeš, only the entrance areas of the building were repaired, but the other parts are in great need of reconstruction.
    The Prague 8 Municipal Council supported a plan from the Faculty of Arts of Charles University, which allegedly wants to establish a university campus here. According to Žikeš, utilizing the building for student or cultural activities would be appropriate.
    In the past, several companies also expressed interest in the building, which would like to establish a luxury hotel there, for example.