Dům knihy House

Welcome to the heart of Moravian Ostrava. Right now, when you're standing in Smetana Square, you're looking at one of the most important buildings in this city space. In front of your eyes is an impressive six-storey structure that determines the whole character of this place with its presence. It's Dům knihy. You may just notice how different this building is from the older, more decorated houses you might encounter around here. There's something bright, something direct and very strong in it. This first impression that this building gives you is not random. It is the result of a certain idea that was born here almost 100 years ago.

Now let's move forward in time and look at how this house came into being. Imagine the year one thousand nine hundred twenty-eight. The city of Ostrava is undergoing major changes, growing and looking for its new face. At that time a construction was started, which was to be part of a large network of department stores known as Beetle and Babka. These department stores were a symbol of progress and modern life. The project was entrusted to an experienced architect who was Karel Kotas. His job was not just to build another space for business, but to create something that would fit the new times. And it was this year that it happened. This building became the first real example of modern, functional style in Ostrava. It wasn't just a building, it was a manifesto of a new era.

Now pay attention to the very form of the building that is surrounding you. Look at her line, the way her shapes form whole. Architect Karel Kotas chose the direction we now call functionalism. It was a revolutionary approach at the time. Instead of unnecessary ornaments, complex sculptures or rich carved details that you may have seen on other historical objects, here you will find purity and order. Note how the windows are distributed, how the building looks light, yet very firm and stable. Everything here has a purpose. Every line, every surface is meant to serve to make the building useful and beautiful by its own simplicity. It's an architecture that doesn't look into the past through decoration, but looks into the future through logic and space. This building is protected as a cultural monument precisely because it is such a pure embodiment of the progress at that time.

However, when you look at its current form, it is good to know that this building has been through a very difficult period. The history of this place is not only a story of success, but also a story of destruction and subsequent rebirth. During World War II, this house was hit by an air bomb. It was the moment when everything seemed to be lost. The attack was so devastating, it destroyed the top two floors of the building. Imagine the horror and the emptiness that was left behind. This wound in the history of the city was deep and the building had to respond to it. Even though it was damaged, it remained a symbol of resistance.

And right here is one of the most interesting chapters of the story. How did a building that was hit by war and served as a department store become a place that we now see as a temple of knowledge? After a thousand and nine hundred and eighty-nine, there was a complete reconstruction. This reconstruction was not only about repairing damaged parts, but about a whole new meaning. The house that once offered goods for everyday needs turned into the largest Ostrava and one of the largest Czech bookstores. This transformation is fascinating. The commercial space for trade in things has become space for trade in ideas, with stories and with knowledge.

Today, when you look at these walls, you see a place where people stop to find peace between the lines of books. It's a fascinating combination of history, architecture and culture. Dům knihy is no longer just a building, it is a living organism that is constantly changing with the city, but retains its solid identity.

Now I'll leave you with your own impressions. You may choose to enter, explore the spaces that once were hit by war, but today are full of silence and the smell of paper. Take a look at the details that the architect Kotas left you, and try to find the courage to create something new in difficult times. Thank you for joining us on this short journey through the history of this place. We wish you a pleasant continuation in discovering the beauty of Moravian Ostrava.