The leafy suburb of Brevnov, situated in the Prague 6 region, is already one of the most sought-after residential locations in Prague. And now, a new development is on the brink of completion which will further enhance the prestige of the borough and revitalise some of the city’s most historically-important architecture and parkland. Kajetánka is a new, luxury residential development, which, when completed in 2011, will comprise 145 top-end apartments, set within a stunning 30,000 sq m parkland, which also contains two buildings of historical significance.

The development was initiated in May 2009, following four years of impeccable planning and design by a team of high-profile names in the world of real estate and architecture. The project was conceived by Bozner s.r.o. – a Czech property developer – who teamed up with property developer Avestus Capital Partners (formerly Quinlan Private) and the real estate fund Lapid Capital Ventures Ltd. Additional funding for the £32m development has been provided by eská Spoitelna, one of the largest banks in the Czech Republic.

Furthermore, the team wasted no time in securing the services of Metrostav, one of the biggest construction firms in the Czech Republic, and the renowned local architects Loxia, whose award-winning work includes the redevelopment of Vinohradská Tržnice and the Four Seasons hotel in Prague.

From the outset, the team behind the Kajetánka development set out to marry the old and the new. Its aim was to create the very model of modern living, while at the same time paying homage to the history of the surrounding park and the listed buildings within its perimeter.

Steeped in heritage
The roots of the site date bank to the 16th century, when the Jesuit monastery of St. George purchased the parkland and merged it with its own gardens and vineyard. Early in the 18th century, the Martinic family bought the land, but later gifted it back to the monastic orders, who built the Orangery in 1760. At the end of the 18th century, under the ownership of the Kounic family, Kajetánka was made into a small chateau and the estate into an extensive English-style park.

From the beginning of the 19th century, the fortunes of the Kajetánka and the surrounding estate varied wildly. The building was first used as a wax cloth factory, while the Orangery was converted into a residential building. In 1881 Kajetánka was almost completely gutted by fire.

At the turn of the century Kajetánka was bought by the local mayor, Jan Kolátor, who endowed the park with statues by the celebrated Czech sculptor Vojtch Sucharda. Several decades later, following confiscation during WWII, Kajetánka was returned to the Kolátor family in the late 1990s, but it was by now in a very poor condition.

Since purchasing the property, the developer’s principal aim has been to restore Kajetánka to the masterpiece of landscaping and architecture it once was while at the same time providing prestigious and modern accommodation to its residents. To this end, it has certainly met – if not exceeded – all expectations.

Looking at the estate itself, the English garden has been restored to the appearance it bore in 1821, complete with a centrepiece pond, now the landmark of the park. In addition to this the area is now adorned with a number of features including a pavilion and a labyrinth. Even the hidden corners of grass and woodland are now home to several protected species of flora and fauna.

Within this idyllic setting stand two historical buildings in the form of the Villa – the original Kajetánka house – and the Orangery, built in the Baroque era. The sympathetically-restored Villa is open to the general public. It will be donated to Prague 6 which will decide about its future usage accordingly with calming character of living atmosphere. At the core of the development are four sets of luxury apartments, each comprising four styles of accommodation: Garden, Classic – Classic Terrace, Penthouse and the Orangery.

Modern living in a rustic setting
The ground-floor Garden apartments each boast south-facing floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors opening onto large sunny patios in a private part of the garden, thus offering owners their very own secluded garden sanctuary. The Classic apartments are very spacious and come with a choice of one, two or three bedrooms. Blessed with striking views over the park, Classic apartments feature balconies, or in the case of Classic Terrace apartments, grass-laden terraces. Penthouse suites offer residents the pinnacle of stylish living, with every bedroom and living room having direct access to either a balcony or a generous terrace. These apartments come with en-suite master bathrooms and ceiling-to-floor windows, boasting breathtaking views of Kajetánka park and Prague Castle beyond.

Finally, the Orangery is the jewel in Kajetánka’s crown. Originally built in 1760, the development has been sympathetically refurbished to recapture its rustic hues and distinctive Baroque architecture. Apartments in the Orangery offer opulent living spaces in a grand traditional style. It is an elegant enclave for the most discerning clientele.

One key value that the developer has adhered to is the creation of a complex that remains true to the original architecture of this historic site. The buildings are sheathed in natural stone, which matches the historic Orangery and Villa buildings and the developer has worked closely with conservationists to ensure the historic value of each of the buildings has been maintained. Such homage to history, however, has not compromised the modern conveniences, which includes broadband connectivity, air-conditioning and security systems at the building entrances.

Looking beyond the development for a moment it is clear that Kajetánka benefits from a very central location within the city. Prague Castle and the Old Town are within walking distance and the upmarket Nový Smíchov shopping centre is within easy reach too. Furthermore, civic amenities such as schools are readily accessible thanks to excellent transportation links. For those who need to travel abroad, access to Prague International Airport will soon be made all the more convenient by the forthcoming completion of the Malovanka crossing, reducing the travel time to just 15 minutes.

As one would expect, interest in the developments has been high. Of the 56 apartments that have been currently under construction – carrying an average price tag of £3,200, half have already been snapped up. This is quite an achievement given the plight of many property developers in today’s global recession.

The development is well under way and the project is planned to be finished at the end of 2011. Those that have already purchased a property in Kajetánka will not be disappointed in their decision. They have bought a small piece of paradise – their own private sanctuary – in the very heart of a vibrant European city.