The Grossmann Villa
STYLE
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In April of this year, almost exactly one
hundred years after its first opening, Villa
Grossmann opened its doors to visitors
in Ostrava. The now heritage-protected
house was built according to his own
plans in 1922-1924 by the Ostrava builder
František Grossmann (1876-1933). Its
opulent design was intended to reflect
the story of his life's success. The villa
was connected to the representative
headquarters of the construction office
and the whole area was surrounded by
a garden with exotic trees, sculptural
decoration, a gazebo, a swimming pool
and a fountain. Thanks to its sumptuous
design and ornate interiors, the building
was nicknamed "the fairy palace" by
the contemporary press.
However, the Grossmanns enjoyed their
luxurious home for less than ten years.
As a result of the Great Depression,
they fell into a debt trap, and pressure
from their creditors finally drove them to
the desperate act of suicide. The property
of one of the richest men in Ostrava went
into bankruptcy proceedings and the villa
was eventually sold to other owners
through a banking house. In the mid-
1960s, the residence was purchased
by the town's national committee and
the villa was subsequently adapted for
the needs of a kindergarten and a school
day care centre, which abandoned
the dilapidated building in 2005.
Despite all later interventions, the original
façade with stucco decoration and reliefs
has been preserved, as well as a number
of original elements from the time
of František Grossmann (built-in furniture,
ceramic tiles, wooden flooring, stained
glass windows, stucco ceilings, etc.).
That is why the building was declared
a cultural landmark in 1992. Period
photographs from the 1920s, together
with an inventory of Grossmann's estate,
opened up the possibility of restoring
the original appearance, and this
is the path that the city of Ostrava,
as the owner, finally took. Exactly one
hundred years later, an extensive three-
year reconstruction was completed
this year, which restored the residence
to its old appearance corresponding
to the period of the Ostrava builder's
life. The city has thus acquired a new
architectural pearl, which offers visitors
a sightseeing route that tells the life story
of František Grossmann and his "fairytale
palace", and in a broader context,
the living and lifestyle of the upper classes
of Ostrava's interwar society. The villa
will host regular cultural programmes.
Grossmann Villa