Divišova čtvrť Emergency colony

Divišova čtvrť, also called Shanghai, is a historic settlement and probably the largest emergency colony in Brno. It came into existence after 1925 in a steep south slope above the Královopolské strojárny. This conservation site is located in the city of Brno-north, in the south-west of the cadastral area Lesná. In 2021, almost 500 inhabitants lived here. Its preserved state and specific development represents a unique proof of working-class living in the interwar period.

In the period after the First World War and during the 1920s Czechoslovakia faced a shortage of flats and growing urbanization associated with industrial development. This has led to the creation of so-called emergency colonies in many cities, where socially weaker populations and workers have built their own temporary homes. The axis of the colony was created by Divish Street. At that time, the eastern edge of the forest covering the U Antoniček valley reached to it, with the western part of the colony at the expense of part of the forest. Originally, the settlement was called the Divish Colony and on September 25, 1946 it acquired its current name Divišova čtvrť. In 1969 the settlement became part of the newly established cadastral territory Lesná. After a number of changes in belonging to urban districts, Brno-North became part of the city district in 1990.

The construction consisted of houses originally of an emergency and temporary character, which people built on their own in a steep southern slope over the machinery plant. The living room was purely temporary. Their owners had to commit to the city that they would tear them down at their own expense without compensation if Brno demanded it. The orchard grew gradually and in 1929 it had already 150-4 houses. Until 1966, Divišova čtvrť was known as all the streets of Trtílka. On 18 May 1966 the individual streets received their own names according to various plants, while the central street remained the shortened name Divišova. In 1999 there was also a new street called Čenková.

The land and houses in this colony were subject to specific conditions of use, as the owners carried a commitment to possible future demolition at their own expense. In the early 1950s, a high emblem of the translated railway line Brno - Havlíčkova Brod was built just along the neighbourhood in the southwest. Although it significantly disrupted the view from the district towards Brno, it, on the other hand, isolated it from the surrounding area and prevented any expansion of industrial facilities from the main street of Křižík.

Among the key moments in the history of the settlement are 1925, when it was formed as an emergency colony of workers from the Králové Opolské Engineering Plant, and 1946 when the name was changed from the Diviš colony to Divišova čtvrť. In 1969 the settlement became part of the cadastral territory of Lesná and in 1999 a new street was founded. The Osa also bears the popular name Shanghai. In its surroundings there is a valley U Antoníčka, a settlement Lesná and Královo Pole.

Divišova čtvrť has been preserved almost in its original form. The set of facade of many houses is protected as a cultural monument. For car transport, the neighborhood is impassable, there is a total ban on entering outside the traffic service and many of them are both blind and physically. The settlement can be reached from the south from Křižík street, from the east from the Ořežní street on the settlement Lesná or for pedestrians and cyclists from the Sad Valley U Antoníček. Public transport is provided by busy bus stops Divišova čtvrť and Nightingale. About 700 metres from the centre of the district lies the tram loop of the Certova gorge.

This historic settlement represents a valuable proof of emergency housing in the 1920s, which, despite complex developments, has retained its authentic character. Visiting this place offers a unique view of Brno's construction history. It is worth including it in the itinerary of every person interested in architecture and urban planning.