Dům čp. 313 House

Welcome to the beautiful city of Ústí nad Orlicí. Right now, thanks to your headphones, we're taking you on a journey through time. You're standing right in front of one of the rarest treasures in this place, in front of the house bearing the number three hundred and thirty-three. Before we go into his secrets, stop for a moment and just watch. Feel the atmosphere radiating around you. It's not just an ordinary wooden building. He's a living witness to history who's been standing here watching the changing world for over two and a half centuries. At first glance, you are likely to be interested in the warm, rustic beauty and the way this house is humbly, yet with dignity, entered into the current environment.

But to really understand why this house is so special, we need to go back deep into the past together. Imagine the second half of the eighteenth century. The world around us was completely different, the rhythm of life was determined by sunrise and sunsets and field work. It was the year of the thousand seven hundred and fifty that this house was created. It was not built as a luxury residence for nobility, but as a practical, rural residential and economic building. It was a home for a family that needed to have everything under its control - both a place to sleep and a place to store crops and equipment. So this house is the embodiment of the life of ordinary people at the time, their diligence and their relation to the soil.

Now pay attention to what you see right in front of you. Look at these massive wooden walls. It is a grafted construction, a technique that requires great skill and a sense of material. These beams are not just an element, they're stories carved into wood. Notice how the whole building is oriented. Her gutter side is heading straight for Lukes Street. Now, if you raise your eyes higher, you'll see the roof. It has a classic saddle shape, which is typical of the rural architecture of this period. And if you look very carefully at the very top of the roof, you can see a small, conical element, a little cab that gives the whole house a fine, almost playful detail. And look at the shield that crowns the house. It is boarded, which is another beautiful example of how the artisans could work with the wood to create not only a functional but also an aesthetically impressive structure.

Even if you're standing outside now, let me take you to my fantasy world and show you what's inside. The architecture of this house is not random. The entire interior is divided into so-called three-piece chamber layout. This means that space was very logically and strictly divided into different parts for different needs. Imagine the main room, the skylight. That was the heart of the house where everything important was done. If you would have entered, you would have seen a fascinating tilting ceiling, which was a very practical solution at the time. There was a black kitchen right next to the closet. Why black? Because at the time, the ventilation in the kitchen didn't work out the way we do today. The smoke from the fire pit settled on the walls and ceiling, creating the characteristic, darker atmosphere. And it is here that you can see one of the most beautiful elements - the Valen Vault, which gives the room an unusual shape and beautifully spreads the heat. And finally there was a chamber that was very important to the economy. It was raised up to the half-floor, which meant that people had much more storage space at their disposal than you could at first glance admit. This use of space was absolutely crucial for the survival of the rural family throughout the year.

A person named Jan Ludevít Lukes is closely connected to this place and to the surrounding street. Although we do not have detailed records of his direct relation to the construction itself, his name in this area was of importance and helped to match the identity of this place. The history of this house is not only about wood and stone, but about the people who lived here, worked and dreamed.

Perhaps now you're interested in one very interesting thing that makes this house a real one. Most of these grafted buildings from the second half of the eighteenth century have long since died. Many of them were either converted into more modern brick houses, or simply went into oblivion over time. However, this house is a rare, preserved example of rural Baroque architecture. It's like a little time capsule that allows us to look into reality over 200 years ago. It is proof that even simple rural construction can have its soul and its high artistic value.

This value was officially recognised in the year two thousand and two when the house was declared a cultural monument of the Czech Republic. That gave him new protection and dignity. And in order for this treasure to continue to be presented beautifully, in the year two thousand and ten it went through a thorough repair. This reconstruction was perhaps thanks to the great support of the Ministry of Culture, which shows us how much we value these remains of our history as a society.

Now that you have recognized the face of this house and understood its inner and outer world, I suggest you stop for a while. Don't be hasty. Just look at the structure of the wood, the roof lines and try to imagine the hundreds of days this house has lived. Every crack in the wood, every detail of the formatted shield has its meaning.

Thank you for joining us on this short journey through history. We hope that this view of the house number three hundred thirty-three has brought you new views and that you will enjoy the rest of your walk on Ústí nad Orlicí. We wish you a beautiful and inspiring day.