Dům čp. 115 House

Welcome to Kadani, a city that breathes its history in every stone and every corner of its narrow streets. Right now, you're facing one of the most prominent buildings in the central square. In front of you is a house with the number one hundred and fifteen known to the locals and visitors as the house of Immaculata. The first impression of this building is very strong because it is a corner townhouse, which naturally attracts attention with its location and size. Feel this atmosphere of the old town where time has stopped and where this building welcomes you as a silent witness to the events that have taken place here for centuries.

When you look at this house, you only see what's above ground level, but the history of this place goes much deeper. This building is based on the foundations of the Middle Ages. Imagine how many layers of time are under your feet. These old foundations are like roots that hold the building and the entire neighborhood in its original form. However, the way to what the house looks like today was not easy. The history of this place is linked to dramatic events. The most significant of them was the great fire of the city in a thousand four hundred ninety-eight. The fire destroyed much of Kadana at the time, but it was from the ashes of this fire that a new form of the house came. There was a large reconstruction, thanks to which the building acquired elements of late Gothic and Renaissance style. Later, in the time of the Thirty Years' War, the house had to reface the instability and changes that brought about the conflicts of that time. Each of these editions left a trail in the house, making it a real history book written in stone.

Now, I ask you to pay full attention to the architecture you have in front of you. Look at this impressive Gothic arch. It is one of the most prominent dominant of the entire square. Notice how this arch forms the transition between the private space of the house and the public space of the city. In ancient times, the archways served not only to protect against rain or sun, but were the center of social and business life. This is where people met, negotiated, and watched in the streets. It's a space that gives stability to the building and opens it up.

Now please take a look above, at the facade of the house. Look for the baroque sandstone statue of the Virgin Mary. It is a very richly decorated work which is not only a religious symbol, but also an artistic jewel of the whole house. This is the statue that gave the building its poetic name at Immaculata. Feel the fineness of the details in the sandstone, which, even after centuries of weather influences, continues to tell about the champion of craftsmen who made it. This statue is like the guardian of a house that has been watching everyone who goes through it for a long time.

When a building looks like this, it's natural to ask who lived in it and who made it. Although the names of particular architects have been forgotten in time, we know of the people who left their prints. For years, this house has served as the seat of a very important Janko family. Among them we can mention Josef Philippe Janka, whose name is closely linked to this place. Leopold Andreas Roch is connected to the house. The Jankova family not only lived here, but also built the status of a house within the city.

But the strongest story is related to Maria Janko. It's a story of immense generosity and love for a hometown. In the year one thousand nine hundred thirty-five, Marie Janková decided not only to leave this family house for its loved ones, but to dedicate it to the Society of Friends of the Museum in Kadani. Imagine the moment when private space becomes a public treasure. The second June of the same year, a museum exhibition was opened in the house. The house became a home for monuments that told the stories of Kadana and its surroundings. People came here to learn more about their ancestors and the history of their city.

However, as with many historical monuments, the House of Immaculata had to go through a period of uncertainty. In the year one thousand nine hundred seventy-two there was a fundamental change when all the exhibits from the house were moved to Kadaň Castle. The house thus lost its museum function and remained empty, which in many cases is the beginning of decline. And then there was a moment that could be the end of this building. In the period before the late 1980s, the house was ordered to be demolished. Imagine that feeling of despair, when such architecture, such a landslide and such a statue of the Virgin Mary can only become a pile of rubble.

Here, however, one of the most beautiful connections with the modern history of our countries enters. In the year one thousand nine hundred and eighty-nine came the velvet revolution. With a new political system and a new view of cultural heritage, there has been a miracle. The ordered demolition of the house has been lifted. The House of Immaculata thus basically survived thanks to regime change and new awareness of the value of history. The fact that you stand before him today and you can admire him is the result of this historic twist. It's a reminder that even though everything seems to be lost, hope and change can save the most valuable.

Now that you know this whole dramatic and fascinating story, I suggest you take another look at the house, but with different eyes. Look at it and imagine people from the Renaissance era. Look at the statue of the Virgin Mary and think of Maria Janko and her decision to help the city. Feel the peace and quiet that is now in this place, and remember that this house is much more than just a building of stone and mortar. It's a living organism that survived fires, wars, and the threat of total destruction.

I wish you from visiting the house At Immaculata they took away a sense of respect for history and joy that such monuments still exist. Now invited to another walk on Kadaň Square. Explore the surrounding alleys, feel the rhythm of this city and let yourself follow the other traces of the past. Thank you for your attention and I wish you the rest of the day in our beautiful city. Goodbye.