Dům čp. 417 House

Welcome to Javorník. Right now, you're standing in front of a house with the number 417, which is a silent but significant witness to the long centuries of this city's history. If you look at it, you'll see a nice townhouse that fits into the character of the local monument zone. It's a one-story brick building with six axes, which means six vertical rows of windows and doors. The overall impression is balanced and peaceful, typical of urban development, which was intended to serve the inhabitants of the city as a safe home and place of business.

Let us now stop at how this building was created and what its origin is. Although the house looks relatively modern in its present form, its roots go deep into the Middle Ages. The first mention of this place dates back to a year ago, three hundred seventy-three. So imagine what this space was like in the fourth century. At that time the house was part of the original medieval building of the city. This means that people have lived in this place since the city was being shaped and the streets looked completely different than they did today. It's fascinating to think that beneath the current walls lies layers of history that go back more than 600 years.

Now pay attention to the architecture itself and look up. Notice the street facade, the side of the house that goes into the street. The dominance of the entire facade is the so-called volute shield. These are the characteristic decorative curves that end up in the upper part of the house. In the middle of this shield you will find a tympanone, a triangular field that gives the building a noble appearance. Within this end there is also a half-circle window which complements the overall composition. The whole appearance of the house shows signs of style from the time of Emperor Napoleon, which is a period known as the Empire. This style is characterized by the purity of the lines and some rigour you perceive in this house.

But when we look deeper into the past, we find that the life of this house was not just about beauty and peace. The history of this house is linked to dramatic events that have hit the whole city. Let's go back to the year one thousand four hundred twenty-eight. At that time, Javorník became the target of the Hussite. During the conquest of the city, this house suffered as well. Imagine the noise of battle, dust and fear of the people who tried to protect their homes from the destructive force of the Hussite army. Even though the house was damaged, he survived and was gradually repaired.

However, this was not the only news that the construction had to face. Nature and coincidences have been cruel over the centuries. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, namely in the years one thousand five hundred seventy-six and one thousand six hundred three, the house suffered the consequences of floods and fires. Water from rivers and flames of fire are the enemies of every historical building. But the biggest blow came in a thousand eight hundred twenty-five. At that time, there was a devastating fire that consumed the whole hundred and four houses in Javorník. It is very likely that this house was hit hard at the time, which explains why we are seeing its shape today in the spirit of a later period.

The interesting thing is that the house has undergone many changes in ownership over time. In a thousand eight hundred forty-three, the house was owned by a person named Hanke. It's fascinating to think about who these people were, what they had dreams and what their everyday life was like in this house. Today the house no longer belongs to a private person, but it is owned by the village, which guarantees that it will continue to be protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic.

When you stand in front of this building today, feel it not only as a brick structure, but as a monument to endurance. This house survived Hussite raids, lions of water and fire. He survived changes in regime, war and architecture. It is a trail of medieval Javorník that has managed to adapt to new times and is still with us.

Take one last look at that beautiful volute shield and feel the atmosphere of this street. Every stone and every brick here tells their own story about the people who lived here centuries ago.

We now invite you to explore the beauty of this city. Go through the surrounding alleys and look for more clues of the past to help you build a full picture of Javorníka history. Thank you for spending a moment with us at house number 417. We wish you a pleasant further journey to meet.